Star Wars (Re)Connection
by YARNfics
Summary: A galaxy waits for revolution, and the pieces are yet to be set. A ripple of change forms as Cal Kestis begins to realize that Light and Dark define each other and need each other to survive. The Force never needed to be set in light or dark, for it exists as both. From that small ripple, waves spread, and the future of the next generation is irrevocably and utterly changed.
1. Chapter 1

**This was a fic that couldn't be contained after I played Star Wars Fallen Order, it was awesome! Especially running like a maniac in the end. From what I understand it's about 5 years after Order 66 so Cal is just verging on being an adult at the age of 18. Anyway this chapter alone is more of a prologue that which will cover some of the actions in the years after their escape from Nur. Regardless of a sequel, it has Cal meet Luke and join the rebellion, which is 14 year off till Luke even begins his journey... making Cal a jedi for about 32 years before Luke even enters the picture...**

**Hm...**

**Nothing too substantial, since I am not sure how motivated I am this may just be something I had to get out and won't add to it.**

**-YARN**

**P.S. All credit to respective owners!**

* * *

Cal Kestis took a deep breath as he shifted his stance, lowering his cyan lightsaber to his right side and extending his hand slightly forward. Cere swung her own red saber in a downward stoke that Cal spun away from and retaliated with a force push. Cere crossed her arms in front of her and grunted as the wave sent her sliding back despite her guard. Merrin watched on in interest as Cal and Cere battled across the impromptu training area that they were using, lightsabers crashing against each other in loud snaps and crackles of energy. Using their lightsabers was dangerous if anyone saw, but any amount of improvement was well worth the price of having to run from the system. Since Bogano had been discovered, monitored, and therefore unable to be an area of respite for the crew, they had decided to hop from place to place, never staying too long in any one place.

In addition, they had to do something in order to make sure they had a steady stream of income, the Mantis was already a ship the empire marked as a 'enemy' ship and so they strayed as far as they could from the empire as they could. Cere was constantly hacking transmission when she and Cal weren't training in order to keep abreast of any movements the empire was making. They even returned to Dathomir for a brief trip to pick up the sabers that Malicos had left behind, giving them to Merrin for safekeeping in case something happened to Cal or Cere's lightsabers. They weren't keen on changing their faces, so they took a page from the inquisitors and donned masks and armor — which were recycled, repainted in black and dark blue, and remade (with the rest being sold for profit) from the armor that various miscellaneous bounty hunters that came after them (though the crew generally preferred Haxon Brood armor since they were usually the most flexible and durable armor they found and it capable of taking heavy damage before failing) — and did what they could to be hidden. Not to mention it was a bit of a thing for bounty hunters to pilfer lightsabers — broken, fabricated, or otherwise — and claim they had killed jedi for them. It was disgusting and frankly disrespectful, but Cal and Cere both knew that it just wasn't worth broadcasting their position over or endanger themselves by taking them. Cal and the rest of the crew were already priority targets on the Empire's bounty list as being Jedi. And that had before infiltrating the heavily fortified Nur let alone having blown up the inquisitor's training grounds that were there and even more so escaping Darth Vader.

Who currently served as Cal's most recent determination to increase his skill and strength in the force. After getting a rundown on exactly who Vader was, Cal was absolutely floored by the fact that he had escaped him at all and he wasn't in some extended dying life or something. He had been utterly overpowered and outclassed — in strength, skill, and force-abilities — by Vader in their brief encounter and if it hadn't been for BD-1 electrocuting Vader, Cere attacking Vader from behind, and the Sith Lord 'playing around' he would have died and Vader would have had the holocron of force-sensitive children to use at his discretion. In those few moments he had confronted the Sith Lord, Cal wasn't ashamed to admit he was most definitely screwed if Vader hadn't toyed with him for a bit to prove his superiority. His 'force-barrier' may not have even existed with how easily Vader had bypassed it, even when he yanked a part of the ceiling down on the sith, a simple raised fist stopped that by ripping the metal from Cal's control. Cal noticed that his force-abilities had been damaged from his refusal to use the force, and while they had recovered and even become stronger, it simply wasn't enough. Malicos showed how large the gap was by pinning him with one hand and bringing down a rock with his other. Cal often wondered if he should have kept the holocron intact but hidden, but his visions on Bogano of the children being killed and caught and him falling to the darkside had only affirmed his decision in destroying the holocron. He wasn't a jedi master like his Jaro Tapal had been — no matter what Cere said — and even if he was ready to be a knight, a master was a rank far above his current abilities. He wouldn't have been able to keep whatever children he found safe and would only give them fresh new inquisitors as Cere had been unable to save Trilla after she was captured.

He wondered if Master Jaro Tapal would have agreed with his decision of leaving the children's future to the force.

Either way, the past was over with and they had to keep moving, it was the only way to stay safe.

* * *

Cere was almost incredulous as she read reports of a group of rebels that were striking out at the Empire. The attacks were small and nothing too substantial, but definitely were happening, a group of fighters were striking out against the oppression of the empire and their domination of the galaxy. This fledging alliance wasn't strong enough to take on the empire in full force but it was surely something unique, with empire transmissions commenting on several attacks and some stolen ships. Transmission were filled with rebels blew up imperial installations, others who did simple hit-and-runs, and some simply ambushing imperial supply lines. Cere wondered if this could be the best chance that they needed to show the galaxy that the jedi weren't totally gone yet.

* * *

Cal was on his knees with his eyes closed, assembling his lightsaber with only the force. It was a common practice that many padawans, jedi knights, and even jedi masters would occasionally use to help them bond with their weapon and deepen their connection to the force. Pieces clicked into place and when he finished with it, it floated in front of him. He reached out and grasped it before igniting it, observing the humming cyan blade. Cere had wanted a green crystal to match her old saber than the red that was carried by the sith, but there was no way for either of them to find some without alerting the Empire (as the now had illum under complete and utter lockdown) and frankly a red lightsaber might actually help them out in some situations. They hadn't been able to stay on Polis Massa for too long, the longer they stayed, the more danger they invited. It was one of the more neutral ports they had been in, and while they had been dressed in their 'bounty hunter' armor, paranoia was useful in helping them stay alive. He deactivated it as he sensed Merrin watching him and turned to face her.

"Hey." He greeted casually, "What's up?"

"Nothing." Merrin replied eyes tracing his saber hilt, "It's fascinating seeing your meditation. It's reminds me of the meditations I used when I use my magic as a novice."

Cal hummed, "Well, it may be similar. I didn't know about the night-sisters or your magic until my travels even took me to Dathomir."

They both paused as they considered how Merrin had tried to kill him and Malicos and how they then decided to work together.

Merrin shook her head, "Our meeting wasn't... very good for a first impression on my part... You tried to be peaceful and I..."

Cal couldn't help the rueful chuckle, "Yeah, it was less than fun when you powered up the nightbrothers to kill me since I didn't leave."

Merrin looked down, biting her lip as she remembered, "I wished I hadn't listened to Malicos when he spoke of the jedi... I wish I hadn't treated you as a though you were here to kill me..."

Cal walked up to her took her hands — not unlike he had after retrieving the astrium and letting her hold it — his voice soft and understanding, "Hey. You had no way of knowing what I was there for, Malicos was your only experience with a jedi after and armored guy with a lightsaber killed your family as you said. He lied to you and manipulated you and used your grief against you, I don't blame you for any of what happened. He fell to the darkside and when it really counted, you helped me beat him and saved my life twice over. I can't thank you enough for that, you are an important member of our strange little family, even if it isn't the one you thought you would have."

Merrin couldn't help the smile that came to her face, "I'll admit, I was a bit apprehensive at first, but I am happy. Dathomir held nothing more for me after our triumph, and even though our lives are in danger, I can't imagine leaving this family."

Just then Cere walked in and blinked at Cal and Merrin, "Am I interrupting something?"

Cal dropped Merrin's hands as Merrin quickly turned to face Cere, "No. Not at all, I was just telling Merrin about how thankful I am that she is here."

Cere smiled at Cal, "I see. Well, either way, I wanted to talk with everyone about some interesting news I got from imperial comms."

Cal nodded, "Sure."

Merrin bobbed her head in agreement, "Of course."

* * *

"So there is a group of rebels who are fighting the empire?" Cal asked as he leaned on his knees, "Why is that new? There are plenty of those that come and go. Why is this one special?"

"Because this isn't just a planet fighting." Cere replied, "They have a actual fleet, bigger than the forces Saw had on Kashyyyk. It's not massive or something to make the Empire think twice, but it is definitely a substantial amount considering what is usually considered an uprising these days."

Greez scoffed, "You ask me it's not enough, the empire had scrapped most of the starships that might've been recyclable, and used them to make their new star destroyers. I don't think that the Empire would let any planet build starships with decent military capability."

Cal mouth twisted into a frown, "Yeah, that was mainly what planets like Bracca was for, basically all the old starships from the clone wars were being broken down and refitted for the Empire's Star Destroyers."

Cere hummed, "I don't know why, but I feel there might be something more to them. The force swirls around them in a way I can't quite explain."

Cal looked at the reports, "Maybe we should look into it — even if we don't join —there might be something there."

* * *

Darth Vader mused over the failings of his inquisitors as he often had since the the disastrous event that was the infiltration of Nur that occurred a year ago.

He knew that it was a possibility for his inquisitors to fail or lose, but the second sister was one of the most skilled, zealous, and fervent followers in destroying the remaining jedi. He never imagined she was capable of feeling bad for her actions, of feeling remorse and shame over what she was in comparison over what she used to be. The ninth sister was little more than a brutish fallen jedi who now hunted her former allies, she had strength and presence, but her skill and forethought was lacking as she constantly underestimated her enemies. Her eventual failing to beat her opponent and death was as unsurprising as it was ignoble and — Vader supposed — fitting. Being beaten by a young jedi who had only just began to regain what he had tried to forget?

Shameful.

But like a miracle, the second sister was somehow influenced by the very same fledgling jedi and he — alongside her old master — somehow made her reconsider her hate, made her begin to see that her hate — while justified and powerful — wouldn't change anything for her. The two words she chose cry out before she was struck down for her failure was more than concerning.

The quiet hum of the ship punctuated by the various noises that occasionally echoed across the ship was his only companion as he stared out into space from his isolation chamber that he had made.

Vader was partially to blame for their escape, he had toyed with the Jedi, offered him the chance to surrender (his anger towards himself flared as he evaluated what his hubris cost him and the empire).

A holocron that contained the future of the inquisitors that had the potential to be the most promising force possible was gone. Had he those children under his hand he might finally be able to overthrow the emperor with the most promising of the force-sensitive among the batch.

However... what he had learned about his foes made what happened on Nur not entirely for naught.

The boy had caught his eye.

Cal Kestis had potential, his growth had only just begun but Vader could see a promising inquisitor if the boy could be... 'moulded' correctly. His skill with the saber wasn't on par with Vader (and while not prideful, Vader was quite confident that he was the best lightsaber duelist in the entire galaxy as Palpatine preferred emphasis on his force-powers), but the boy had been a padawan for years and only truly began to use his lightsaber and connection to the force again days before he and Cere Junda infiltrated Nur and he managed to cut a swath through multiple purge troopers and several squads of stormtroopers. After all that, he alone — without Junda's help — had bested the second sister in a battle, which Vader had been sure was impossible for a unskilled acolyte of the jedi order. She had been trained non-stop for years, from padawan to inquisitor to find and killer her once-master and finally be free of that failure. And even after that, he had managed a strike on Vader himself (granted a droid had jabbed him with a hacking tool sparking with electricity, but Vader had come out unscathed from battles with jedi masters and multiple foes).

But beyond all of the potential Cal Kestis contained, he had a talent that could be beyond invaluable. Cal Kestis apparently had a form of psychometry that was incredibly rare in evenn the force-sensitive across the galaxy, Vader own flashes of visions and nightmares were indistinct and haunting, but Kestis could vividly see and experience what happened to a person based solely on an item he touched. With a tool like that at his disposal, Vader could easily gain any information he needed without having to resort to breaking someone's mind with torture.

A shame he refused and even managed to keep Junda from giving into her darkness as she was also promising; a wild tangle of shame, hate, and rage in constant combat with the foolish dogma of the fallen order and a self-imposed exile. To stop his lightsaber with a force shield was an advanced technique and could be an invaluable asset, and for Kestis to destroy the corridor around them to let the water carry them out and force Vader to hold it back lest he be crushed showed a cunning mind. Things that Vader himself could grudgingly admit was smart and resourceful, they didn't try to fight a losing battle — Cere Junda knew the holocron must not be recovered which is why she went so far — and chose to escape to live another day.

It didn't matter though, if the young jedi or struggling master wouldn't bend to the darkside, then they would be broken by Vader.

He would see to it personally and make sure that — that time — there would be no escape.

* * *

Cal grunted in exertion raised his hands as the red blade wavered and began to descend towards his chest. The blade halted as he poured more focus into his barrier and sweat trickled down his forehead. The blade snapped and hissed as it slowly once again began to force its way down to impale him.

"Done!" He gasped as the saber hovered a few inches from his chest.

Cere pulled back her saber as he fell to his hands and knees, trying to regain his breath as BD-1 hovered beside him and whirred its concern. When Cere had told him that the barrier she used was taxing, he had underestimated exactly how much it took out of her. She had passed out almost immediately when she used that technique against Vader, Cal and Cere both would have drowned without Merrin. He had chalked that up to the fact that she was out of practice, which really was stupid of him. After picking up a lightsaber — when she hadn't in years —she was a vicious fighter and he saw her handiwork first-hand.

Cere smiled at him and knelt down to lay a hand on his shoulder, "Amazing progress Cal, I had to push very hard to start piercing through your shield."

Cal let out a breathless laugh, "Vader would have cut through it almost immediately. I need it to be stronger."

"We have time." Merrin interjected as she pulled Cal to his feet, "It will be of no benefit to train to the point of burning yourself out. A rigorous amount of training can only be sustained by a equal amount of rest. While your growth is exceptional, you cannot continue on this way without stopping."

Cal closed his eyes and realized exactly how tired he was and how heavy his arms and legs were now that his body was untensing. The past year had been grueling with what he put himself through as well as how hard it was to avoid the empire. He probably hadn't been exactly objective when it came to himself and he noticed Cere giving him concerned looks from time to time. It was then Cal realized he was having way too much trouble prying his eyes open again.

"Sleep." Merrin whispered to him as he felt himself sit on the couch, "It will be better when you wake."

She began to hum a soft tune and Cal sighed as he felt her fingers card through his hair.

He was out like a light.


	2. Chapter 2

**So I seem to have gotten some favorites and follows...**

**Awesome! ^_^**

**But here's the rub guys, I have not watched the animated series as at the time I was super busy with a job and college, so my knowledge of people like Ezra and Kanan and Ashoka and the rest is laughably limited and let's face it, I simply UNABLE to watch the series with me in a university and struggling to keep up. Ergo — as mush as I would love to have them in my fic, and I really would — I will be relying on the non-canon to weave into the canon like Starkiller/Galen Marek (I like him a lot but it's a possibility as and I tend to plan on the fly [Don't do that or you'll never get a cohesive story]). So, yeah.**

**So following, I will leaving a poll that will contain a single choice. With Revan being cannon, I can use some planets I would have normally overlooked!**

**Time-skip, yes or no?**

**Poll is on profile!**

**YARN**

**P.S. All credit to respective owners!**

**P.P.S. Drop a constructive criticism review!**

* * *

Cal absently meditated as his companions milled about the ship as he probed the force in the hopes that it could give him peace and guidance.

It was about Malicos, or more specifically what he said about the jedi.

Because as far as the once jedi had fallen, as much as he had lost himself to the dark power emanating from Dathomir...

There were things that made sense in his accusations against the order.

"_Restore the jedi order? Oh, you poor fool. It's over! Jedi fell long before the purge. Stifled by tradition. Deafened by our past glories. Blinded by endless war."_

And if Cal was being honest, the 'Maybe' he had responded with wasn't a lie. He was too young to know of the all of the actions of the council and of the order when Order 66 happened and it wasn't like his master was in communications with the council with training him and monitoring Bracca. But the fact that they all had been slaughtered and left a handful of survivors did show symptoms of something rather unnerving.

The Jedi were simply arrogant, too blinded and rejecting of the fact that the galaxy was shifting around them.

They never considered the idea that they could fall that the Sith were still alive and plotting to kill them all. When the impossible did happen, they were wiped out within a couple of days, a millennia of history erased almost overnight. Their adamant refusal to change, to change in accordance of the times was what got them killed. If there ever was going to be a renewal of the Jedi Order, they couldn't let themselves be the same as they were before. They mustn't let the past blind them to the present or the future. The Jedi would have to adapt, to learn that while the traditions and knowledge could be important and respected, they didn't need to stagnate within them. The rules that had existed may need to be disbanded or rewritten in order to make sure the mistakes of the past couldn't be perpetuated in the future.

They had drowned themselves in hypocrisy by trying to maintain adamant control over the force rather than let the force guide them.

Cal sighed and wished he could bring it up to Cere and not somehow offend her.

He didn't really know if it would, but he would rather err on the side of caution when it came to the order and what he thought needed to be done. She had dedicated (or sacrificed if you wanted to be morbid about the entire topic) a good portion of her life, time, and ideology to the jedi and holocron; while she hadn't objected in allowing Cal to destroy it, he could tell she was still debating whether it had been the 'right' choice. But the ideas he kicked around in his head when he considered how to rebuild the order without bringing the empire down on them needed to be discussed and Cere was technically the only person he could talk to about it. Determined, he squared his shoulders and stood up.

He needed to talk to her.

* * *

Cere took to the idea far too easily in his opinion. She listened carefully and calmly while Cal had been pointing out how the jedi were ill-prepared for the galaxy by their arrogance. She didn't argue or try to tell him off and wholeheartedly agreeded with the idea that the order had fallen because of arrogance and blindness. She had been a master and when Trilla fell, she used the dark side, which — if she were a 'master' — shouldn't have happened no matter what because she was strong. Cal spoke about how — in a very, very loose way — Malicos had raised a very valid point about jedi being shackled by tradition (he pretended he didn't feel the anger rolling off the resident nightsister at the very mention of the corrupted jedi).

"Before we do anything else," Cere decided, "We need to find any jedi who are still intending to be jedi and not cower in the face of the empire. Also, we need to learn to mask our presence in the force. Normally, I'd suggest we travel to places where the force is swirling with life as that would mask us from the sith. Places like Nar Shaddaa or Korriban, but we can't go to either of those places."

Cal nodded, "Agreed. Bringing jedi together like that creates a presence in the force that can be used to track us, but going to to those places is out of the question."

"Why not?" Merrin inquired, "They would hide your presence in the force no?"

"Korriban is the ancient _birthplace_ of the sith." Cal stressed, "Jedi were forbidden from going there due the fact that it ability to corrupt them was so strong. Nar Shaddaa is quite literally filled to the brim of bounty hunters and smugglers. While we can wear our bounty hunter armor, the place is to risky to get caught with our lightsabers, not to mention trying to hide a group of jedi on that planet is just justification for the empire to bomb it from orbit. Sure the general rabble of the life on that planet would disrupt the senses of the sith, it's just too risky. Adult to teen jedi are going to be hard enough, but to raise youngling there? That's just a bunch of corrupt force-using children waiting to happen. If we wanted to even have a chance to hide, we would have to conceal any lightsabers, leaving alone the fact we can't even use them."

Which was something he was trying to remedy in terms of combat-preparedness. While Cal was infinitely more comfortable with his lightsaber, Cere had proved in Nur that duel-wielding a blaster and saber could be very effective. Unfortunately Cal had zero to no experience with them and therefore was not all that impressive in regards to using them. 'Point-and-shoot' was not as easy as Cere made it look. Cere had offered tips a generally he wasn't a 'bad shot' per se, but the blaster just never felt 'right' in his hand when compared to his lightsaber. Plus, if he ever came across an inquisitor or Vader, a blaster would only make them laugh.

Could Vader even laugh?

"There has to be some way," Greez said, not noticing Cal's befuddled expression, "Merrin can mask the ship with her magic most of the time but if the empire can sense you, they'll hunt us."

"They are already hunting us." Merrin said grimly, "We are fugitives and there is no way to make them stop."

Cal shoved his musings aside nodded tiredly, "Maybe we could see if there are planets that the empire aren't interested in and have the capability to house us with little trouble."

Cere leaned back on her hand as they all stared at the galactic map.

Dathomir was not safe with the night-brothers still under the influence of Malicos' manipulations and the dark-side, Merrin probably wouldn't appreciate going back (she had barely been able to get the various night-brothers to stand down [or defeat them] in order for Cal and her to collect Malicos' lightsabers). Zeffo and Kashyyyk were definitely not possible to stay at —for as much as they could be used to stay with — the constant presence of the empire — omitting the threat from the indigenous creatures — would get them caught and killed. Kashyyyk was still in a state of constant war, what with the empire collecting wookie slaves and generally killing everything they could. Zeffo's tombs were being most likely being scoured by the empire for any knowledge. Illum wasn't even worth considering since the empire was apparently mining the planet and were not going to let anyone who wanted a crystal even close. The jedi that had turned and became inquisitors as well as Darth Vader had probably raided and destroyed any emergency locations that the jedi order had set up. Bogano might work if the empire had stopped monitoring it, after all, the holocron was lost to them (and it really held no other claim to fame other than being where Cordova hid a holocron [that — to belabor a point — was gone]). If they left a garrison of troops, it wasn't implausible that the native wildlife had swallowed the troopers up by now and he doubted the Empire would keep churning out troops to the same planet since they had fled.

Cere straightened and placed her elbows on her knees and steepled her hands in front of her mouth, "Do you think Bogano is seriously open?"

Cal sighed, "Maybe. I don't want to risk it though. While the battalion of stormtroopers have probably been swallowed up by the various inhabitants, we can't be sure they won't notice if we set up shop there. It was supposed to be hidden from any map, but it's not impossible for the empire to notice if we go there."

The Force hummed in his ear and Cal tilted his head, discerning the soft murmurs in his ear as he contemplated his situation.

* * *

Dantooine was a relatively peaceful planet, consisting of farmers and lush green hills that was a continued source of agriculture for the various inhabitants. The planet was rather nice when compared to many of the others that existed and seemed perfect to hide from the empire since it had little value for mining and the like. They had just landed the Mantis and disembarked when they saw several various people staring at them. Cal tensed as he didn't know whether or not people were going to be as welcoming as he hoped and would be okay with a couple of jedi arriving.

Then one of them saw Cal's lightsaber clipped to his belt and gasped, "A lightsaber?!"

The reactions of the people were mixed with some looking desperately relieved and others looking horrified. They pointed at the lightsabers that hung from Cere and Cal's waists as they whispered among themselves. Cal shifted, ready to turn on his heel and bolt back to his ship if the situation turned bad and they had to leave before the Empire descended on them. They couldn't afford to let the Empire catch them, they could not let the empire kill anymore jedi.

"What are you doing?!" Hissed one farmer to another, "You let this spread and the Empire will come, we don't need that!"

The farmers murmured to each other each agreeing that there was no need to invite trouble and deciding to steadfastly ignore the jedi and their lightsabers.

With that, Dantooine was open to the fugitives with open arms.

More or less.

* * *

While the rest of the crew set up an area to serve as a possible home base, Cal felt a pull towards a certain direction. BD-1 hopped on Cal's shoulder and Cal couldn't help the grin that stretched over his face at the familiar weight.

Cal wandered over to the ruins of the old jedi enclave that had once existed, entrance by the age and time that had ravaged the temple's remaining structure. Cal pressed his hand against a crumbling slab of rock and froze as he felt the familiar sensation of his psychometry envelop him. Immediately he heard screams and cries of panic as lasers rained down on the unsuspecting residents and innocent people. Jedi fell and their deaths left screaming echoes of pain that now ran up and down the empty halls. Cal gasped as he buckled under the brief vision and took a moment to catch his breath.

Cal looked up only to see he was in a circular room of sorts, it was much like he imagined the jedi high council's room except it had no chairs. Despite the room being pristine and in its prime, the room was bare and empty, no one seemed to be here and there was no sound of people bustling around. Cal looked around in bewildered disbelief, wondering how he got here at all. He spun and realized BD-1's comforting weight was no longer at his back and he panicked at his friend's sudden disappearance.

"BD?" He called, "BD, where are you?"

There was no reply.

His hand drifted down to his lightsaber and he carefully detached the weapon from his waist to hold in his hand. He blinked and realized he wasn't in the specialized armor that he and the rest of the crew had made from the bounty hunters. He was wearing a clean and warm grey shirt under a darker grey tabard with a black undershirt and black pants; his hands were clad in soft fingerless cloth gloves rather than the armored gauntlet he normally wore. Deciding the sudden change in his wardrobe was not as important as figuring out where he was, Cal slowly began to walk out through the abandoned enclave. He carefully walked through the halls as he stretched out through the force trying to find his way out or a path forward.

suddenly the sound of a lightsaber igniting sounded from behind him as red light illuminated the room. He whirled and his own lightsaber erupted to life as the red room was suddenly saturated with the light blazing from his blade. Cal saw an inquisitor stalk towards him, silent and serious while twirling a double-bladed red saber at his side. Cal's heart began to pound in his chest as he saw the inquisitor, body tensing as he realized what this meant.

Dantooine wasn't safe.

He need to warn his crew.

He needed to escape.

"Don't bother." The inquisitor modulated voice growled, "You aren't going anywhere until we are done."

Cal shifted his saber in front of him, "You won't get past me."

The inquisitor snarled and lunged forwards, his blade crashing against Cal's in a shower of sparks, "You cast me aside!"

Cal ducked away from the followup swing of the second blade as he backed away, confusion painting his features, "What?"

"We could have had everything we wanted!" The inquisitor screamed, blade slicing through the air, "But you gave it all up for what? A holocron you decided was better left as scrap?"

Cal began to parry and weave away form the heavy-handed strikes as he panicked.

"How do you know about that?" He demanded as he locked blades with the inquisitor.

The inquisitor scoffed and disengaged, "Because..."

The inquisitor reached up to yank his mask off and toss it into the floor.

Dark crimson hair framed his face as yellow pupils ringed with red glinted with hatred towards Cal. Faint veins of black stretched and spread over the inquisitor's face from bruise-like shadows around his eyes. The face had a faint scar that crossed over the bridge of the nose, and a black scar behind his jaw from a blaster bolt as well as a nick over the eyebrow. Upon closer inspection, the hilt of the lightsaber in the inquisitor's hand was exactly like the one in Cal's hand.

"... I am you." The Fallen Cal sneered.

Cal backed away, horror and disbelief painting his face as he stared at his fallen counterpart, "What? How is that possible? This can't be!"

The inquisitor advanced, a cocky smirk stretched over his face, "Oh yes it can. I am what you could've become, what you are still capable of being. All you have to do is give in."

The Fallen Cal brought his saber down in a heavy blow and Cal slid out of the way and swung his blade at the Fallen Cal's neck. Fallen Cal spun and brought his lightsaber up to catch the blow as the blades crackled against each other.

Cal growled, "I won't! I won't ever fall to the dark-side!"

"You will!" Fallen Cal howled as he pushed Cal off of him and resumed his assault, each attack punctuated with an accusation, "You don't deserve to be a jedi, you've ruined every life you touch! Prauf, your only friend on Bracca died to keep you safe and you spat on his sacrifice! You saw what happened when you tried to teach the younglings! They were either killed or tortured because of you! Cere spent her life chasing leads on jedi so she could use the holocron, and she was force to find the frightened little child with a broken connection to the force who destroyed it! Merrin's entire family was slaughtered by the war perpetuated by the Jedi and you were no better than Malicos when you made sure that she saw being a Jedi was violence and hate! You were too weak to save your master and you've let him down ever since then!"

"Shut up!" Cal snapped as he pushed his broken counterpart off of him, "You're wrong about me, you're nothing but an illusion!"

"Can an illusion do this?" Fallen Cal mocked.

Fallen Cal grinned maliciously as his hand snapped up and a blast of force lightning erupted from his hand towards Cal like a glowing barrage of jagged knives. Cal gasped and created the strongest force barrier he could muster — inwardly thanking Cere for teaching him all the tricks she knew as a jedi knight from her time under Endo Cordova — as the lightning washed over where he was standing. Cal and his Fallen grimaced as both force techniques flashed and flared in response to the two's determination to overpower the other. The strain finally grew to be too much and the room exploded in a flash of blue light.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so I've been thinking...**

***hears the cries of the horrified audience***

***sigh***

**Yes, I have been thinking about Galen Mark ( I know he is non-canon) and how Galen is simply too overpowered to be logical for this fic. He literally RIPPED a Star Destroyer out of the sky and while he wasn't able to totally stop it once it crashed, you got to admit that as it is — also reading up on the lore — Galen (if you don't count his resurrection and/or clone) dies about 2 BBY ('Before Battle of Yavin) and was about 17 when this all went down having been through insane training by Vader. Cal was about 18 (now 19 in my fic) when the whole 'escape from Bracca' to 'assault on Nur' fiasco happened, giving 11 year before Galen's death. 11 WHOLE YEARS OF GROWTH AS A JEDI (making him 30 when Galen dies and 32 at 1 ABY [at least that's my math work]). He might have a 'scooch' more power and skill to work with by that time...**

**A lot of this relates the time skip I was planning, because honestly I don't think that I am capable of planning 19 year worth of life into a fic like this and while Galen is non-canon I really want him in this fic... Grrr... well, I'll see.**

**All credit to respective owners!**

**-YARN**

* * *

Cal gasped as he found himself once himself bent in on himself, hands pressed against the ground after feeling the orbital bombardment, once again donned in his bounty-hunter armor and BD-1 still on his back. His breathing was too sharp, not enough, too little air for his lungs as he panted, reeling from the disorientation. He realized he was hyperventilating and shut his eyes — squeezing them shut so hard his eyes stung— as he desperately tried to center himself before his panic-attack took over completely. BD-1 beeped in concern at the signs of Cal's nervous breakdown but was unable to help except by trying to reach Cal through his panic. Cal's breathing slowed and he slowly began to breath more easily and the air seemed to fill his lungs as he regained control of his emotions.

"I'm alright." He managed to say, "I'm okay."

He jumped slightly at the sound of his commlink beeping and took a second to steady himself before raising it to his face.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Where are you?" Cere demanded, "I felt something through the force like you were in distress and I couldn't find you!"

Cal straightened and rubbed his face, "I was just wandering the old enclave here."

"Simply wander the ruins wouldn't have caused a disturbance Cal." Cere said quietly.

Cal grimaced, what was he supposed to say? I met a corrupted version of myself if I had fallen and battled him as he raised all the fears and doubts I had thought I had managed to get over right back to the surface of my thoughts?

He couldn't imagine that going too well right now, he still needed to center himself, a walk back to the ship would be perfect.

He shook his head, "I got lost meditating and when I touched the building I experienced the destruction of the enclave."

Not a lie.

Just not everything.

He wanted to wait until he was back to the ship before talking about the vision he had experienced with Cere and the rest of the crew. They'd probably have a better idea how to deal with and/or solve it rather than Cal had at the moment.

That version of himself he had seen had rattled him, because in his vision while getting Cordova's holocron he had BEEN that person. He saw the children dying and being tortured, them staring at him in horror and demanding an answer as to why he joined the inquisitors. The maelstrom of self-hate/loathing/despair/pain and sick pleasure he took in inflicting pain that had been radiating off his corrupted shadow had knocked him out of kilter. He needed to figure out what had happened to him and what he could do so that he would never become that person.

He shook the lingering phantoms of his vision off and made his way back to the ship.

* * *

When Cal returned to the ship, everyone picked up on the uneasy expression on Cal's face and how the force trembled around him. Before long, Cal was being guided by Merrin and Cere towards the couch.

"Cal, what's wrong?" Cere asked, concern on her face.

Cal sighed and sat heavily on the couch, "When I went to the enclave, I had a... vision of sorts. A lot like the one I had when I was on Bogano and it left me a bit... rattled."

Cere nodded, "What happened."

He took a deep breath and began to recount the vision.

Everything.

Wandering the abandoned but pristine enclave.

Meeting the inquisitor.

The inquisitor revealing itself to be a corrupted version of Cal.

The accusations, how he only brought pain wherever he went — but he was interrupted.

"That's not true!" Merrin snapped, indignation clear in her voice, "You weren't responsible for my pain! You let me travel with you, gave me a family again!"

"But I killed so many nightbrothers!" Cal cried, a raw desperation in his voice, "I wasted so much time being afraid! I destroyed the holocron, wasting all of Cere's life spent on it!"

In all honesty, Cal brought up the thoughts that he didn't want to think about or dwell on too deeply. How would Merrin feel about him killing nightbrothers? She probably had been avoiding the topic just as much as Cal had been. They both knew that it was unavoidable at the time, but that didn't erase the guilt on both their parts on doing what they did. They both had been doing what they thought was right, what they 'had' to do. And that had ended up harming so much more than simply Cal and Merrin, even if it was by choice. He didn't need to go over Cere's life that had been used on that holocron, he hated himself enough on that.

"Cal, enough!" Cere snapped, "You did what was right! I'll admit that I wasn't pleased that you decided to destroy the holocron, but it was the right choice! We all knew it was! If anything, I am proud of you and your decision, it can't have been easy but that only emphasizes how much you have grown Cal."

Cal turned to Cere, distress painted across his face, "But..."

She laid a hand on his shoulder, "When we saved you on Bracca, I'll admit I was worried you might not be strong enough to get the holocron. But I saw as our journey went on how much you regained and how much you grew. Seeing you convinced me that I was weaker than you had been. Maybe not in the force or in skill, but in something far more important, your character is much stronger than mine and everything else will come in time. Because even knowing the consequences you used the force on Bracca, knowing full well what could happen if you were caught. I had times where I could helped people with the force, opportunities over and over again, but my fear held me back. When you were going to Nur — alone if you had to — you made me see that running away wasn't something I couldn't let myself do anymore. You helped me become the jedi I was supposed to be Cal. I know that Jaro Tapal would be proud of you, just like the rest of us are."

Cal bowed his head in shame, "But what do we do now? It's been a year, Cere. A whole year since Nur and I feel like all we've done is run away and hide. We haven't changed anything or fought against the empire in any way."

Cere stops him with a simple hand gesture, "Stop Cal. We both know that as we are, we can't win against the empire. If we try to attack, we only invite the Empire to put more resources into hunting us. We just don't have the manpower to fight against them and if we don't have that, we can't afford to jump on any opportunity to undermine the Empire as soon — even if they ignore the fact that we are jedi— they won't be able to ignore us. You've already improved so far in the time since then, we don't need to rush into a battle we can't win."

Cal shoulder slumped with a tired air, "I know. It's just..."

Merrin sat next to Cal and ran a hand up and down his back, "Cal... That vision you had upset you greatly. Take the time to gain your bearings and center yourself. I want you to know that What you accomplished already is astounding. You were able to defeat two inquisitors, them being among the most skilled fighters in the galaxy and even managed to escape Darth Vader, second to the Emperor himself! Biding your time to become stronger is the only way to actually move forward. I waited on Dathomir for years, praying for a chance on my revenge, putting my faith in a corrupted man who only sought to use me for my abilities. Cal, I didn't try to become more, I stagnated and let time pass me. You cannot make the same mistake, but you can't rush into danger just to see if you can make a difference. What happened on Dathomir doesn't change or lessen the belief I have in you."

Greeze piped in too, "Kid, I have seen a lot of things as a pilot and I can honestly say I never would have offered to stay. I have done contract after contract and never felt like doing anything other than looking out for myself. You've changed things for the better kid, don't doubt that."

Cal closed his eyes and leaned his head back, drinking in the unwavering support from his allies and friends, it soothed the doubt that his shadow brought up. Even so, he had no desire to lag and waste time in fear of going back to the temple. He was stronger than the terrified padawan who ran from his past, and tried to forget. He would move towards the future as a knight of the Fallen Jedi Order, and if he ever came face-to-face with his corrupted other, he would show him that — whatever future path Cal chose — choosing the dark side would not be a part of it.

* * *

Cal lightsaber was a blur of cyan lightning as he and Cere made their way through the cave, lumas on their waist and BD-1's lights illuminating the path. A few days after Cal's confrontation with his other and while he was using the force while meditating, Cere had approached him about something calling to her from a cave — some of the many that were drilled long ago into the hillsides — and she wished for him to accompany her. Cal had acquiesced and they had set out towards the cave, Cere acting as a guide. Unfortunately, the apparent act of even setting foot — after clearing the entry with a surge of the force — in the cave was some sort of faux insult to the armies of kinrath that resided there. Which now led to them in their current situation of spelunking while fending/fighting off hordes of the cave's inhabitants that were trying to kill them. Cal caught the kinrath with a force grip and tossed it into the wall before tossing one of his saber-halves at it and impaling it through the abdomen.

He had never liked aggressive bugs ever since the force-damn vehicle-sized spiders on Kashyyyk tried to tear out his throat after jumping on his back. The kinrath attacking him has not changed his stance on bugs as they hiss and squeal while swiping at him. The deeper they went into the caves however, the more desperate and aggressive the kinrath became.

He recalled the blade and connected to the other half before clipping it to his belt, "Please tell me they are not going to attack again."

Cere tilted her head as though listening and nodded, "They seemed to have backed off for now."

With that small comfort now given, they walked in silence for a minute to see a glow around a bend in the cave.

When they turned and looked, they were both struck speechless.

"Cere..." He whispered, "Are these...?"

"They have to be..." She whispered, "They can't be anything else..."

Kyber crystals and fractals gleamed from the inside with multitudes of multicolored light, ranging from a slivery viridian to a deep purple. Cal even swore he could see a few red glimmers from the crystals that were scattered throughout the ground. Kinrath eggs had been laid around the gems and probably explained the aggression that they had attacked with when Cal and Cere had entered the caves. Cere wandered over to a outcropping of green crystals and closed her eyes, hearing only a melody that was unheard by anyone else. She knelt down and reached out to gently pluck a single green crystal that glimmered with its own light. She reverently cupped the gem and bowed her head, expression full of peace and joy.

"A crystal called out to me..." She whispered, "I found a new crystal Cal!"

Cal couldn't help the smile that spread over his face at Cere's own joy, "You did. That's wonderful Cere."

* * *

Cere watched as Cal pulled out her old saber hilt from a box he had placed under the lightsaber workstation in their ship. They harvested several crystals from the cave, and although any of them weren't kyber crystals, they were some of the focusing crystals that jedi sometimes fitted into their respective hilts to enhance their effect. Cal wasted no time in adding the extra crystals into his saber, grinning in satisfaction when his cyan blade hummed to life. Cal was relieved in that the crystals themselves added an extra sense of balance to the lightsaber, as though a part was not there despite the blade itself working. Cal had no time in Illum to scrounge for extra focusing crystals — what with the Empire mining the planet and him having to leave as soon as the lightsaber was repaired — but now he knew his lightsaber would be far more effective as a weapon.

Cere herself was busy constructing a new hilt with Trilla's lightsaber components. While Cal was skilled with both a single-bladed or double-bladed lightsaber (and with Cere teaching him more about Jar'kai every session, he was much more proficient in that form than when he battled Malicos), Cere didn't remove the second blade from the lightsaber hilt she redesigned and cannibalized from Trilla's old hilt, creating her own green lightsaber with her own focusing crystals. She waved her weapon around experimentally, a smile on her face. The hilt's look had been altered as Cere had removed the circular metal guard and it resembled the lightsaber that Cere had herself. All padawan's lightsabers were generally based on the design of their master's, so Cere had been able to create a hilt that matched her old saber.

* * *

Cere's lightsaber was little more than a blaze of green as she danced with her weapon, blade crashing against Cal's as they fought in a secluded area. While the new saber and crystal had felt balanced while she was holding it, she needed to make sure that it felt just as comfortable as it did in combat. Cal and Cere dashed at each other, meeting in the middle as their blades crackled upon clashing against each other.

"So how does that blade feel?" Cal grunted as he pushed against Cere.

"Better than Trilla's!" Cere replied shifting to keep her footing, "It's completely natural!"

They pushed off of each other to leap away and landed a few feet from each other. They both took deep breaths and deactivated their weapons. Cal ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck, smiling at the peaceful aura radiating from Cere. He turned when he heard approaching footsteps and turned to see Merrin looking at the lightsaber in his hand.

"Merrin?" Cal inquired.

"Can you teach me to wield a lightsaber?" She asked abruptly.

Cal mouth dropped open, he honestly didn't see that coming from her, "What?"

She pulled out one of Malicos' lightsabers and ignited it, her face cast in red light, "I see you and Cere training to get stronger and stronger. While I know my magics are strong, I do not have much else to offer in the way of combat."

Cere walked over, having heard Merrin's request, "Merrin. You know that's not true."

Merrin shook her head, "I want to do this. It's not because I want power for its own sake, I want to become stronger because I want to protect the family I have now. All of you are important to me. I already lost a family to the war of the past and I refuse to lose this family to a war that will be coming. I want to be able to protect everything with my own strength."

"Merrin..." Cal said softly as she turned off the lightsaber.

Cal never really thought about how Merrin was probably scared of losing them, he honestly had never considered the idea that Merrin would want to learn how to fight with a lightsaber. Malicos and General Grievous (which he deduced had massacred the night-sisters of Dathomir after hearing Merrin's story and Cere's knowledge) had only showed the worst of the force-users for that matter. He thought she would hate to even have to pick up a lightsaber and use it to fight. Cal knew how it felt to lose everything you once had and then have to try to move on after picking up the pieces, but even he had the benefit of knowing that if he and Cere survived, others may have too. Merrin was probably one of the last of the night-sisters, they may die out within a couple of years and their entire history would be lost.

"Please." Merrin pleaded softly, "I don't ever want to be helpless ever again."

Cal and Cere shared a look and then turned to Merrin, "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

**SO for reference Cal was born sometime in 32 BBY, incidentally the same year that Darth Maul killed Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Current year being about 13 BBY. This will help establish some of the timeline and reference points.**

**So I've been thinking about Galen and realized that since he is far too powerful for this fic, I may tone him down some — he will not just rip a Star Destroyer out of the sky — and rely on more of the feats in the second installment of his series since that's drastically more reasonable for this fic. As for timeline, I am going to say about... maybe half a year over the course of the first game and maybe a year for the second? (He will be the genuine article, NOT a clone made by Vader)**

**Also! A new character was told to me by Bulletstormx and he helped solidify my choice in adding him! He arrived on Dantooine... roughly right after the reformatting of The Republic into The Empire. Kudos if you know of him!**

**Special thanks to Bulletstormx for conception and additions!**

**-YARN**

* * *

While Cal had wanted to help Merrin become comfortable with using a lightsaber, but he had no prior experience to draw on when it came to teaching. He could recall how Jaro Tapal taught him and his younger years when he was in the temple and learning then, but he felt his application wouldn't be enough. He could talk and try to run his force in tandem with Merrin's magicks, and contribute in that way but he knew it could only take them so far. Cere, on the other hand, had taught Trilla when the jedi were being purged and even before then, she had the experience and the knowledge, now tempered by wisdom and grief to truly being an amazing teacher. Whenever Cal could, he sparred against Cere and Merrin, contributing what little he could since he never felt comfortable teaching (lingering memories of crying and whimpering padawans he couldn't save dancing through his mind).

"Get over it." He murmured to himself, making sure he was alone so he wouldn't have to explain himself, "The holocron is gone and that future will not come to pass. You made sure of it."

Maybe in time, when he had a bit more wisdom and skill under his command, when he was much stronger in the force (and he had an force barrier that wouldn't shatter in less than a second against someone like Vader) maybe then he would have the confidence to lead an enclave of younglings to become jedi. Maybe he would truly deserve the rank of Jedi Master and restore the order before reforming it into a order that would be able to adapt to the future no matter what it held. If that time came — when, if Cal had anything to say about it — then he would happily work towards that future that had him training the next generation in how to become jedi and work with the force (with the exception of the youngling dying and being captured by The Empire to be brutally tortured and eventually turned).

But for now?

It was best he grew stronger and learned how to master himself first and focus on the present.

There was no use musing on a future he wasn't ready to face quite yet.

* * *

Vader watched as the apprentice he was training fought and inwardly reflected on his process.

The boy blocked the strikes of the magna-guard the empire had salvaged for their inquisitors and lashed out with a wave of lightning that force the simulacrum to its knees before being bisected by a violent slash. His apprentice's personal proxy droid immediately leapt in, brandishing a lightsaber while cloaked in the form of jedi knight Siri Tachi. The boy dashed out of the way of a ataru strike that would have cleaved his head in two had he been hit. As it was the blow on skimmed his shoulder with a sizzling scorch mark to remember it by. Hissing in pain, the apprentice dodged and gave ground as he observed Tachi's acrobatic movements and determining her style while using Niman to probe at the facsimile's defenses. Seeing the imitation flip and leap away and over his attacks, the apprentice lashed out with a barrage of strikes at the jedi facsimile, sweeping at its legs to force it in the air. In Ataru fashion, the droid leapt only to be hit with a telekinetic wave that sent it flying into the ceiling before crashing down onto the floor. Vader nodded to himself at this.

The boy was progressing very well.

After the invasion of Kashyyyk and discovering the jedi who had been in hiding and then taking his son. He had pleased to see the fervor of his apprentice at mastering the power of the dark side and lightsaber. He had even personally programmed a sparring droid that was set to kill the boy whenever the droid thought it had the best chance. In order to make the programming as challenging as possible he had given the droid a veritable encyclopedia of different jedi and the various styles that they had employed in combat. Every single attempt at assassination on his apprentice that failed only served to further convince Vader that he had made the correct choice.

Initially, Vader had debated in whether or not to make him an inquisitor, but in the end had decided against it. The inquisitors were too... known for this boy he had picked up on a whim and their recent failures made him glad he had to raise this boy differently. He had talent in spades and if used correctly, would be a formidable instrument in the erasure of what remained of the jedi. The boy already showed a proclivity toward Juyo and Soresu both of which would serve him well in upcoming battles. Much like Kestis, he simply need to be refined so that he could truly attain his potential. If only he had managed to capture Kestis he may have been able to pit the two against each other in order to fuel their abilities!

Truly a shame, but there was still plenty of time to correct the latter issue. For now, Vader would focus on the apprentice in front of him.

Either way, Starkiller would be an excellent hidden tool for the Sith Lord in the future.

* * *

He carefully crept towards the sounds of muted voices and pulled out his old blaster, trying to quell the nervousness that twisted his stomach. When the rumors of jedi that had come to Dantooine had initially spread, he refused to believe it. There was no way that any jedi would come back to this planet after Falon Grey was murdered by his brother. Six years later and trying to forget all the guilt and pain only to hear of his past coming to haunt him. Traveling day and night to the spaceport he had seen that their ship seemed to be gone, so they weren't there. With that confirmed, he followed the trail of rumors and people to head towards where they were apparently camped and camouflaged their ship.

He saw two people standing and talking while pale-skinned woman in red with a red lightsaber was going through the motions of what seemed to be a series of stances and strikes. His breaths came in short supply of oxygen, desperately trying to convince himself that it couldn't be real. There could not be a group of inquisitors on Dantooine, there was no reason for them to be there. They couldn't have come for him after all this time, his brother had thought him dead and any jedi here were dead to the Empire! It didn't matter, he had a life he would kill for — has killed for — and he won't let them take it from him. The man with the droid on his shoulder and the dark-skinned woman seemed to be distracted, if he was quick enough, he might be able to take out one of them. After a quick deliberation he aimed at Merrin, seeing her totally focused on the strikes and stances rather than her surroundings.

Cal and Cere stiffened as the force whispered a warning, and spun, igniting their lightsabers as the force cried out. The figure rose and aimed his blaster, firing a shot at Merrin's head, intending to kill her. Cal saber slashed through the air and deflected the blaster bolt into the sky, away from Merrin as she whirled, caught off guard. The man cursed and immediately squeezed off a few more shots, hoping to kill the man wielding the lightsaber. Cal deflected them off to the sky or away from his friends before he raised a hand and made a yanking motion with a grasping hand. The man let out a cry of shock as he flew from his position only to hover helplessly in front of the furious knight. He fumbled for his blaster but before he could even attempt to aim it at Cal, the weapon flew from his grasp into Cere's outstretched hand.

Cal swung his hand down and slammed the man into the ground, "Who are you?"

"You won't get anything from me, Empire scum!" He snarled into the earth, furiously trying to squirm free and get to his feet, "You bastards won't get a damn thing out of me! You already killed the jedi and refugees here, what more could you possibly want?"

BD-1 leapt from Cal's shoulder to scan Merrin to she if she was in need of a health stim or was wounded in any way. Merrin gave the small droid a fond look and light pat on the head to indicate she was fine and she didn't need a stim. BD whirred in reluctant agreement and clambered back on Cal's shoulder while keeping track of the random attacker now pinned to the floor. Merrin's face was cold as she observed the man that had tried to kill her by discharging his weapon into her skull.

Cal stared at the futilely struggling man and rolled his eyes as he realized why the man had attacked Merrin, "We are not part of the Empire. We are jedi."

"Do you take me for an idiot?" He growled, "I saw your new inquisitor practicing with her lightsaber, everyone knows that you bastards killed off all that was left of the jedi."

The man knew that the Emperor had burned most of the lightsabers from the various jedi soon after the Republic was reformatted into the Empire, but there was simply no way he could take chances. Besides, he knew that only the Empire and their inquisitors used red lightsabers. He hadn't had much contact with the inquisitors himself since his self-imposed exile, but he had seen holo reports and Vader's blade and recalled that the only other person to use a red blade was Count Dooku and Ventress.

Cal wanted to let the man go, but wasn't exactly sure how to let the man go without him trying to restart his attack. He would've killed Merrin if he hadn't intervened and frankly they couldn't just let him free now. He was too scared, too convinced that he would become a rabid attack dog to the government he left behind. Cal looked to Cere who stepped forward and knelt so she could could speak to the restrained man.

"What is your name." She asked softly.

He scowled but spat out, "What does it matter? You plan to make me a grave plot with an inscription?"

Cere sighed, "I want to know who you are and why you hate the empire. Seeing as you don't believe that we aren't part of them, you may as well say. We have no desire to harm you and don't want to refer to you as 'some person who tried to kill Merrin.'"

He growled but eventually spat out, "My designation was X2, but I go by Xavier Grey now."

Cere raised an eyebrow at this, "So you are a stormtrooper."

He tried to turn his face away, but trapped as he was he could only look away in defiance, "Was a stormtrooper. I am a farmer now."

"What made you defect?" Cal asked, easing on the amount of weight he was using to restrain the clone.

The former stormtrooper glanced at Cal, feeling the pressure lessen slightly, "Let me up and I might tell you."

"And I need your word that you won't harm my friends." Cal replied calmly.

Xavier scowled, "Fine."

The pressure holding him down lightened significantly — enough for him to lift his body — and he pushed himself to his knees as Cere stepped away from him. Xavier accepted his defeat knowing that they could kill him without much difficulty considering he had been disarmed and there were three people who could kill him if he tried anything. He may have been force sensitive, but he had tried to leave everything behind after the death of Falon Grey, he hadn't exactly been interested in practicing with the force. Even if it technically was in his blood, the only thing that Falon's death convinced him of was that if he tried to become a jedi, he would only bring the Empire back to Dantooine.

Either way, he told them of how he had come to Dantooine soon after the reformation of the Republic into the Empire to hunt down a fugitive jedi. However, he couldn't stomach his batch-brother's idea to kill the innocent people who had been letting the jedi live there and deciding to leave. His batch-brother — believing his desertion was an act of treason — had tried to have him imprisoned; Xavier managed to fight of his squad-mates and managed to meet with the jedi who turned out to be Falon Grey. Despite Falon and Xavier being able to repel the attack after organizing a local militia, Falon's mercy enabled X1 to kill him and mortally would Xavier with Falon's lightsaber, leaving them both for dead. Falon used the last of his strength to heal Xavier before succumbing to his wounds and dying.

While Cere listened to his story, she passed Cal Xavier's DC-15 side-arm blaster for him to use his psychometry on, which proved Xavier's story to be true.

"You were cloned from Falon Grey." Cal said, a note of disbelief in his voice, "You're capable of using the force... You inherited his sensitivity to the force!"

Xavier flinched, not exactly thrilled at someone else knowing what he was capable of due to the circumstances of his creation, "I suppose I can..."

"But you don't want to do you?" Cere finished for him, eyes filled with understanding, "You're afraid of using it and what that could bring about if people find out. You wanted to forget everything that came with the force because you failed to save someone you cared about, even with the force at your side."

Xavier head snapped up at Cere in surprise, "How...?"

Cere gestured to herself and Cal, "We both hid away from the galaxy after the purge. We tried to hide what we were, what we are now. We tried to forget what we would always be. But sooner or later, the galaxy pushed us on the path we abandoned and we realized that we couldn't run forever. One way or another, destiny will find it's way to you and put you on the path you were meant to be on, even if it's a path you didn't expect."

Xavier scoffed audibly, "That's a load of poodoo."

"Yet here you are." Cere replied in matter-of-fact tone, "You didn't have to come here, you could of hid away, but you came with the intent of killing us only to suddenly have a conversation. We had no intention of trying to find someone to join us or trying to recruit force-sensitives, your own actions revealed yourself. We now had the opportunity to have conversation, regardless of your intentions."

Xavier blinked, realizing that exactly that had happened.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Merrin says quietly, deactivated lightsaber in her hand.

Xavier head snaps up and he stares incredulously at the night-sister. She was sorry? She knew how to be sorry?

"Don't be fooled by the red lightsaber." Cal advises, "She's a wonderful person and one our best friends."

Merrin smiles at Cal who rubs the back of his head in embarrassment, he hadn't exactly meant to let slip that that first part of his description out (even if was totally true to him).

Xavier slides off his knees to sit down more comfortably, "You really are jedi?"

"Not formally knighted," Cal admits with a shrug, "But then again not exactly a lot of Jedi left. Cere informally knighted me before we invaded Nur."

"Nur!" Xavier sputtered in shock, he may not be in contact with The Empire but he was there when Nur was established to train the future inquisitors and purge troopers, "You invaded Nur? How in the hell are you alive?"

Cal chuckled at the former trooper's expression, "A long story, care to hear it?"

* * *

Any doubts that these people were jedi faded as the young man talked about his experiences while on Nur.

No normal (sane) person could even think that invading the very grounds the purge troopers and inquisitors were training to kill jedi to retrieve a holocron was a possible goal. The fact that they did it and even more so that they managed to do it — escaping Darth Vader, right hand of The Emperor himself — and come out with only a few injuries spoke volumes of their capabilities. Granted, a lot of it was luck as Cere managed to use the force to tear free a cable to grab onto before she fell and follow the Sith Lord to Cal without him noticing. Another factor was the bravery of the little droid that had clambered onto Cal's shoulder to actually climb onto Vader's shoulder and jam a scamp link into the Sith's suit. The fact that Merrin was there to get them out of the water— making Xavier feel like a complete and utter bastard for attacking her — and avoid drowning by teleporting them to the ship was also important. It had nearly cost them their lives and they did it because they had to, because they refused to let the children be subjugated by The Empire in order to become monsters.

Xavier had almost lost hope of meeting a jedi ever again, but seeing these jedi and hearing what they had accomplished gave him hope.

And that was something he had desperately missed, even if he didn't know it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yes Galen has made his appearance, now I know what you're thinking ( I don't but humor me on this), "YARN, if he had Galen under his thumb, why has Vader used him to catch the Mantis crew yet?"**

**Wonderful question, allow me to reply:**

**Starkiller is simply not ready in terms of skill. Yes he is strong, but he wouldn't be able to subdue Merrin, Cere, and Cal all at once to kidnap Cal. He hasn't reached the level of his training where he was enough to take on Shaak Ti. Vader isn't foolish enough to gamble Galen on Cal and him potentially becoming a casualty or turn (as he had seen happen with the second sister) until Galen has served his purpose.**

**He is a SECRET apprentice equalling 'not to be seen'. That means he is not to have help even if that would make kidnapping Cal possible. If he reveals his apprentice and Cal lives and escapes? He could talk and Vader will not risk it.**

**Vader still believes that he doesn't need to use Starkiller to kidnap Cal. The Nur breakout was still relatively recent and Vader is willing to wait for a better opportunity. Cal was just another jedi and plenty fell to the dark side, and Vader is a remarkably patient person.**

**Those are the main reasons, ask me for more and I'll see what I can scrounge up, but the ****one thing** **I really like about Galen is what his victory over Vader does to the relationship between Emperor and Vader. This was the first time Vader was given actual confirmation that he wasn't indispensable to Palpatine as he was told. The Emperor was more than willing to cast him aside for a stronger apprentice, which caused a rift to grow between The Emperor and Vader, even if they both didn't acknowledge it. It also caused Vader to seriously consider finding an apprentice to kill Palpatine with (Galen would've been that if Vader was serious about being his master and what actually kickstarted the cloning process).**

**All credit to respective owners! Reviews (constructive please) and ideas are appreciated!**

**Special Thanks to wolfblood123, jojobinks01, and Guest13.**

**-YARN**

* * *

Merrin — eyes narrowed and sweat beading on her forehead — backpedaled, giving ground as Cal surged forwards, lightsaber a streak of cyan lightning. Cere watched with her arms crossed as she watched her former student (though she really didn't teach him much) and newest student clash. She hadn't initially been too keen on letting Merrin face Cal after only a month of training under her belt, but Cal had promised that she could handle it and he wouldn't go all out. Cere had relented and finally allowed it which led to the current situation. Cal deflected several strikes before he brought down his saber in a heavy overhand strike that forced Merrin down onto one knee. Merrin pushed as hard as she could to force Cal off before she rolled away. Once Merrin managed to gains some distance, she lashed out with a hand, a sphere of green fire erupting towards Cal who swung his lightsaber to parry the blast of magick.

"Enough." Cere called and both Cal and Merrin relaxed while deactivating their lightsabers.

Merrin panted heavily, running an arm over her forehead to wipe away the sweat as well as push some her hair out of her face. Cal clipped his lightsaber back to his belt and exhaled a slow breath as he straightened. BD-1 raced from where it had been standing to compliment both Cal and Merrin with a series of beeps. Cal grinned at the little droid — which proceeded to climb onto his back — before walking towards Merrin. Cere offered a hand to the night-sister which Merrin accepted as she was hauled to her feet.

"Well done Merrin." Cere complimented as she laid a hand her shoulder, "You've picked up the basics of Niman rather quickly."

"It's not that different from what bladed stances the night-sisters are taught from a young age." Merrin panted, "We are taught the basics of swordplay and move immediately from that into magic. Mixing the two is to come with time and experience..."

She trailed off as they all recalled the fate of the night-sisters of Dathomir.

"Still," Cal said trying to push away the uncomfortable subject, "That was amazing Merrin! You really made me stay on my guard to block your magic. You keep this up and soon I won't be able to hold a candle to you."

Merrin couldn't help the pride in her bubble up at her friends' compliments; for a month of training she didn't believe she was going far, but they both assured her she was growing and all she needed was time. Niman suited Merrin just fine as a skill as she was far more comfortable using her magic in a fight. With how it was initially made to have a jedi incorporate force techniques as well as saber skills into a middle-ground form, Merrin could pick it up without much difficulty. Night-sister magic wasn't exactly the force as Cal knew it when it came to abilities, he couldn't form balls of green flame and teleport (or at least not as far as he knew), but the feel he got from it definitely held traces of the force, even if altered. Either way, Merrin may have had a long way to go, but she definitely gotten a good start and had nowhere to go but up. As for Cal, he himself was nothing if not honest but he was still growing as well, despite his recent training was focusing on his defensive force powers, he still far preferred lightsaber combat and practice almost daily either alone or with Cere when she could provide the time.

Cere couldn't help but feel proud of how they were coming along.

Xavier was also watching while leaning against the hull of the Mantis, an almost wistful pang of nostalgia in his chest. He honestly forgot how graceful Jedi were when they were fighting, even with the night-sister only having just begun there was something mesmerizing about seeing jedi combat. He hadn't honestly planned on coming back after their confrontation a month ago where he had tried to kill Merrin and talked with Cere and Cal. He had simply hoped that they weren't going to bring the empire down on their heads and left to tend to his farm. But sooner or later he found himself heading back to where the jedi had stayed almost without his own volition. Part of him was angry at himself for involving himself with jedi when all the seemed to bring was misfortune around him but another part of him found an odd sort of comfort in being around jedi and apprentices who understood his reasons for leaving and didn't condemn him for it.

The force that hummed within him seemed lighter around them, similar to some sort of emptiness he wasn't aware of in his life being filled. It reminded him of his time in the brief moments of peace where he saw jedi interacting with their younger padawans. Granted, they weren't as expressive as the three in front of him, but they always seemed to be a bond between them that gave them both strength. Sometimes he even assisted the pilot Greeze with unloading items from the Mantis after the pilot's infrequent supply runs for food and tech. Kath hound meat was edible and be cooked in a variety of ways but said hounds had the good sense to steer well away from the area after trying to kill the three jedi the first few times, they had no desire to lose anymore of their pack members. As for the farmers, Falon Grey and his death made them wary of aiding any jedi (another weight on his conscious he couldn't forget) and bartering with them usually led nowhere.

"Hey." Cal called, "You hungry?"

Xavier jerked from his musings at Cal's voice, "What?"

"Are you hungry?" Cal repeated, "Greeze is about to cook us dinner and he wanted to know if you wanted to join us."

Xavier pursed his lips, it wasn't the first time Cal had offered him food, and he usually always said he was fine. Even after the twentieth time Cal still offered to share food with the ex-stormtrooper and Xavier would decline.

Xavier normally would say he had to get back to his farm and Cal would smile and reply, "Well, maybe next time."

But...

"Sure." Xavier replied, his own voice almost a shock, "I guess I could stick around."

That bright smile that Cal flashed him was enough to make him smile — albeit a bit wanly — back at the young knight.

* * *

Xavier stumbled inside his house and made it to his bed only to fall into it and curl up into a tight ball. For the first time in a long long time he ate with people at his side and traded stories of fights and conversed with them about their pasts.

But what about that simple act had him feeling like this?

What was this resigned sadness and terrible joy he couldn't ignore?

The force he tried so hard to ignore crooned in his ear.

'_Not alone anymore.' It whispered._

He stiffened

Because he was supposed to be alone.

He had resigned himself to it.

He hated it, but resigned himself to it.

But he was supposed to be alone.

Then these jedi came and he found himself hanging around them, unable to ignore them.

Within a short time they talked to him.

Within a short time they offered him connections of friendship.

A clone trooper always had a 'batch' and with them, 'batch-brothers'. But Xavier's brother had tried to kill him — would've killed him — and left him for dead. His 'father' used what was left of his life to save Xavier's and then left as well. He had no one left and wanted to forget that he didn't have any family. He wanted to make sure that he never had to feel the pain of loosing people ever again. But when the jedi came and stopped him from murdering one of their own and didn't kill him, he could only feel relieved that some people who were like him in some small way. It gave him a lost sense of security when he still had brothers to talk to, to know support was never more than an arm-length away.

He had fought against the idea, having the force like them didn't matter, he was alone and that was that! He didn't have anyone to care, he couldn't! Every single person he cared about left sooner or later and he'd only be let down if he put hope in anything!

Even as he chanted that with all the conviction he could muster, he knew what he felt and for one of the few times in his life he wept over the losses and pain in his past.

* * *

Cal shifted in his cot on the Mantis, too restless to sleep.

The same feeling of worry kept him up.

He pushed himself up and sighed before dressing himself silently in a simple pair of drawsting pants and thin shirt before stepping outside to see if being outside could give him some sort of peace. He walked a few paces away from the Mantis and stared at the star-studded sky. Ever since he was young and a jedi, he was constantly on the move while training during the clone wars except when he was sleeping or in the med bay for any various reason. Being an experienced scrapper on Bracca was much the same as took constant traversing of the junkyard to help with the disassembling of old warships and the like. With the events of the holocron and trying to find it, he'd seen so much and traveled quite far, moving from one place to the next. The year he spent after was constantly moving as they made desperately sure to stay ahead of The Empire. Now though, he was on a planet with nothing to do but get stronger, he had to wait and let force-knows-what go on because he wasn't strong enough to really make a change.

It was maddening.

"What am I doing?" He muttered.

"That's what I would like to know too Cal." A voice said.

He turned to find Merrin in her sleeping clothing — mainly a maroon robe over simple undergarments — watching him from the ramp of the ship. He sighed and resumed watching the sky.

"If I had a good answer, I'd say it." He replied.

Merrin was silent at that but he felt her walk over to him and follow his gaze to the sky, "What are you looking at."

"The stars."

"What about them?"

He raised a hand as if to catch the light in his palm, "I see them and think of what planets they could be, what they might hold. I look at them and think how many people are suffering under the heel of The Empire. I look at all the planets I used to want to visit and remember how safe I used to feel before the purge. Even with the Clone Wars waging all throughout the galaxy I was never a part of any actual combat until Order 66 on Bracca, and I was sure Master Tapal would be there for me no matter what."

Merrin hummed an shifted closer to his side.

"I wanted to be a jedi master for so long as a kid." He continued softly, lowering his hand, "I wanted Master Tapal to one day teach someone who would be excited to learn under the same master who raised Cal Kestis, one of the most respected jedi masters. I had so many hopes and dreams to help those who needed help and save those who were crying out. All of that was ripped away with the rise of The Empire. Now, I am back to being a jedi — a jedi knight even — but all the things I wanted back then are gone and I don't know what I want except for The Empire to fall, and that was only something I dared think in my head since I was on that escape pod with Master Tapal's body."

Merrin flinched and nodded at that, she had been in a similar state after the extermination of her sisters.

Surrounded by the bodies of the most important people in her life. While Cal didn't exactly lose as many people, it was no less important that he lost who was probably the most important person in his life, a mentor and a father wrapped up in one.

"Then, when Cere dragged me off Bracca, I wanted to restore the order. I really did. But the force showed me that I would only lead the children to torture and death. I couldn't protect them if I had decided to gather them. Ever since then I've been scared of idea of teaching, of even attempting it." Cal mused, "I want to help you become a jedi Merrin, I want that more than anything because it'll help keep you safe. But... if anything happens to you because of me, I don't think I would be able to handle it."

Merrin leaned her body against his, head tilted against his shoulder.

It wasn't uncommon in a ship as small as the Mantis for the crew members to occasionally feel a bit cramped. Cal's cot was next to the kitchen while Cere took the bed and Merrin claimed the couch. Greeze liked to sleep in a small cot next to the cockpit while BD-1 charged in the kitchen. After a year of being together, Cal felt completely comfortable and would doze off after a harsh training session to lean against Merrin. Merrin occasionally did the same when she felt sleepy. Cere seemed too amused to mention anything but constantly gave him looks that implied something he wasn't sure he was ready to face.

What did he feel towards Merrin?

He obviously trusted her, that was a given after Nur.

He never really delved deep into the train of thought that she was beautiful.

He always got a kick out of her snarky yet calm demeanor.

He really liked how when she was serious about something her determination radiated off of her in everything from her stance to her voice.

And ever since that hug after Nur they always felt something more in the brief moments where things were calm and their eyes would meet or their bodies would brush against each other fleetingly.

Even so, there was the matter of their pasts that hung over their thoughts. Cal was training to be a jedi, and they were never supposed to fall in love, passion lead to the dark side. But if that was the case, why would com**passion** be necessary as a jedi? He didn't care for the old code, and while he wasn't going to cast it completely aside, he knew that it was flawed and shouldn't be followed to the letter. Then after the purge, was he seeing something that wasn't there since him being so alone and terrified to even think of falling for someone(it wasn't like there were no female scrappers on Bracca and with their constant active lifestyle, it wasn't like they were unattractive and Cal had tried _everything_ he could to forget his past)? With Merrin's species genocide, he could see how she might disinclined to actually want to grow close to anyone and let their loss hurt her. They had both spent so long alone and afraid that the thought of caring for someone like that was not something they really could be sure of quite yet.

"Cal," Merrin replied, interrupting his thoughts "I promise you I won't leave you, not now, not ever."

"And I promise that I won't abandon you either Merrin." Cal responded in kind.

Cal leaned back against her slightly as they watched the night sky for a while longer, basking in each other's presence and recognizing the weight of their promises. Maybe it was something more and — in time — Cal would be happy to accept it.

But for now?

This was enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay so there are historical inconsistencies regarding the death of the characters in this fic, but where someone dies doesn't mean they stay there otherwise Anakin's ghost would be floating in space somewhere. I probably could go through some sort of persuasive sentence to try to convince you, but honestly I cannot think at the time of writing this bit so I'll let my brain rest (i'm forgetting something but I honestly cannot remember, Midterms suck).**

**As always, All credit to respective owners!**

**Special thanks to jojobinks01 for contributions and discussion! Special thanks to Ander Arias for constructive advice! Any questions you may have can be PM'd if you want to know more.**

**Constructive Reviews are appreciated!**

**-YARN**

* * *

Merrin had not initially planned to follow Cal outside the ship when she woke up to him walking out the ramp to stare at the sky. She assumed he had simply gone out for some fresh air and honestly she didn't want to intrude if he was trying to be alone. But her fledging connection to the force urged her to go and at least see if he was alright, and while she wasn't sure her self, both Cal and Cere had stressed to her that the force would never steer her wrong. With that in mind she got up out of her cot, pulled her sleeping robe — a rather impulsive buy while they were on a planet that was in the throes of some sort of festival — more snugly around herself and padded to the open door. She saw Cal with a complicated expression and distress radiating from his posture and projecting slightly through the force.

She could not help herself but join him and was honored that he felt comfortable enough to share his worries.

However, she didn't like the traces of doubt he felt in his abilities since the holocron's vision was revealed to him.

He was a compassionate, strong, and wonderful person, and it hurt her on a level she wasn't comfortable with to see him in pain.

Merrin wasn't ignorant of love and how it was supposed to feel. During her schooling with the other night-sisters while they were young, she had been expected to join a night-brother sooner or later and give birth to the next generation of children. She hadn't been averse to the idea of having a family again, but she never felt any connection to any potential mate in a night-brother. They were bitter about the destruction of the night-sisters and eyed her with looks that honestly made her skin crawl. At one time, she was sure that she would find someone who would love her rather than use her to repopulate or continue their lineage, but that hope dwindled the more night-brothers she crossed paths with.

They cared little for her as a person.

Then Malicos came and the night-brothers were too busy following his will over trying to take her.

A small mercy in her opinion, she had been too hurt and angry to want anyone.

Then Cal appeared and cut a swath through Dathomir, even unintentionally completing the rite of passage and THEN killing the Gorgara itself (Something Merrin frankly didn't believe was possible for anything, even the army that killed the night-sisters, especially after seeing how the Gorgara was smashing itself against cliffs and oversized roots in an attempt to kill the jedi clinging to its neck).

She had been silently impressed.

When he returned and explained what he was, the overwhelming and nearly euphoric relief that someone in the galaxy could EMPATHIZE, could RELATE and UNDERSTAND was enough for her to place her faith in him.

And entombing Malicos in the ground felt so damn good.

After they left Dathomir and she bid goodbye to her former home, they were almost instantly forced to travel to Nur due to the holocron. It was then she resolved to make sure she wasn't losing anyone else. Not Greeze, not Cere, not Cal.

Never Cal.

But a part of her was unsure if the connection she felt was simply a product of their similar circumstances alone and led to a understanding that was like love, or simply the catharsis of fighting the empire augmenting her feelings. A year had gone by since her departure from Dathomir and what confirmed her thoughts was the fact the the emotions she felt when looking at Cal had only intensified. If she were honest, she didn't want to take this slowly. Their lives were constantly under the threat of Vader and the Empire and one bad move and they could be lost forever, but the same time she didn't want her feelings for him (and what she could sense from him) interfering with their growth as warriors.

Maybe when they were sure it wouldn't be a detriment, then Merrin would confess exactly how she felt around him, but they had time and Merrin planned to make the most of it.

* * *

Cal slowly made his way to the crumbling Enclave that presented him with a vision of his corrupted shadow. When he explained his desire to visit the Enclave once again, everyone was against the idea as the last thing Cal needed was another bout of self-depreciation. Xavier — who was rapidly becoming a regular fixture at their camp despite his own conflicts — had been confused until Cal had explained and even he thought it was a bad idea. Even so, Cal felt the force urging him to go back to the Enclave and he followed his deceased master's advice to trust in it. With his mind set, Cere had sighed and asked Merrin and Xavier and even BD-1 to watch over Cal if he simply had to go as he could hardly be counted on to take care of himself (ignoring to Cal's indignant objections and BD's equivalent to laughter). With all that settled — without Cal's opinion being considered in the slightest — the group of four had set off.

Which led to the current situation of all of them looking over the broken temple.

Xavier was the first to approach and cautiously bent down next to some of the crumbled masonry, "I knew about the enclave since Falon told me about it, but I didn't really expect to visit it at any time... It's ancient."

"It feels..." Merrin began, her voice quiet, "like it's been hurt..."

At first, Cal is at a loss in regards as how to respond. He felt it the first time when he had come here — the ancient ache of the murdered jedi — but his psychometry and visions had provided a sufficient distraction to not think about it. Being here now, with caution while not being caught off guard, he feels the brunt of the lingering emotions he had not really thought about. Hearing his companions' observations and thinking back to the visions, he probed the force for more information on the matter. He wasn't Cere, who's connection to the force was much stronger than his and could glean a lot more, but it was enough (Cal wasn't complaining, Cere was a master before she cut herself off and after Nur, reestablishing her connection took time. His own journey took time for his connection to become what it was; he had grown just as much as she had and she was still teaching him things Jaro Tapal had not been able to). The Force murmured the painful history of what had happened here and he closed his eyes for a moment in melancholy acceptance.

Cal mouth was set in a grim line, still feeling the lingering ache, "Jedi died by the dozens here, I could feel it before my vision happened. The act opened something like a wound in The Force, it honestly could be worse though."

"Worse?" Echoed Xavier, "How can it get worse?"

"The more death, the more pain." Cal expanded, the force whispering in his ear how best to explain, "Clearly all the jedi didn't die here, otherwise we wouldn't be here now. But the slaughter caused a ripple of pain to echo through the force, time has healed it to a degree as the life on this planet soothed the pain, but the echo of the actions will never truly vanish."

BD whirred in worry at Cal, who shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Then why are we even here?" Xavier demanded, "I may not be as trained as you, but everything I even begin to associate with The Force in me is screaming to not focus on the darkness that's here."

"Then don't." Cal says.

His frank statement was met by silence.

He closes his eyes and drops to his knees and takes another deep breath, "There is light and darkness, no matter where you go. Some places are stronger in one or the other, but there will always be both. I choose to focus on the light rather than let the darkness dominate."

Cal reaches out to the force and instantly he felt the force pull him away, avoiding the shadows of the darkness and towards the points of light.

* * *

When Cal opened his eyes, he was once again clad in those same robes he was in the first vision and is still in the kneeling position of his meditation. BD-1's weight was absent and so were the presences of his friends, but he didn't worry or panic like he did at first as his lightsaber still hung from his waist like before. He looked to his side only to hear a soft 'ahem'.

Startled he jolts back before he looked in front of him to see a fully-grown twilek in blue robes that resembled the same robes jedi wore. His skin was red and his purple eyes held a sense of calm contemplation. He seemed amused at the sight of Cal who had only just noticed him. At his waist hung a lightsaber and his arms were folded in his sleeves as Cal had seen some of the older jedi in the temple do when he was still there.

"Well met, young jedi." The twilek greets calmly.

Cal blinked but straightened slightly, "Hello um..."

"You may call me Jedi Master Zhar Lestin."

Cal nodded and shifted uneasily, "Where are we?"

Zhar turned to look the the side, waving an arm at the room they were in, "The ancient Jedi Enclave back in it's prime, where many jedi came from in the ancient times. Honestly, it's been many many years since a force-sensitive has come. The force has darkened considerably in the past few years, as thought the light has all but died. Why are you here?"

Cal looked down, if he was right then this was an ancient jedi who had passed long ago, who was now a ghost, "I... I want to be able to rebuild the jedi order... I want to become stronger so that when the order is rebuilt, then it can become something that can truly last."

Zhar was let out an inaudible sigh, eyes sad, "So it is true. The Jedi have all but fallen?"

Cal looked up, "Yes. The order was destroyed by the sith."

Cal wasn't exactly sure if the apparent jedi knew or not, he might've known, he might not have known. He wasn't alive, he probably hadn't been for a very long time. That probably meant that he was very out of the loop. If that was the case, was that a good thing? Was that a bad thing?

Zhar eyes flickered with annoyance, "How do you plan to rebuild the order with just yourself? You probably have seen the power of the sith and what they are capable of."

"It's why I have come," Cal replied, anger and grief at his weakness bubbling in his voice, "I don't know how to protect anyone if I do recreate the order. I am not strong enough as I am now. I need to be able to learn all I can if I want to protect those I care about. The Sith will never stop hunting me and my family. I won't let anyone hurt my family, I rip them apart if they try."

"The jedi never use their power in anger." Zhar replied, his tone impersonal.

"The jedi as they were don't exist anymore! They all got wiped out!" Cal challenged, eyes narrowed and fist clenched, "When I met a fallen Jedi Master, he explained why the jedi fell. The worst part is that he wasn't wrong! The jedi were arrogant in their belief that they stamped out the sith and they were wrong! The sith hid in the shadows of the order and by the time we realized what had happened, it was far too late! The traditions that the order clung to only made us stagnate and become blind to the outside! We didn't change for a millennia and the entire galaxy had! You say we shouldn't use our power in anger? Fine! But what about self-defense? What about to save others? Should we just watch the galaxy burn and other innocents die because we aren't oath-bound to protect them?"

Zhar was quiet at Cal's rant watching the panting knight. He remembered a young man who willfully disobeyed the council to fight in a war they honestly didn't want a part in. His charisma and ideals were enough to drag so many into the war and the jedi were left scrambling to stay alive. After the war, their once massive order had lost so many and then to make matters worse, a scant handful of jedi remained. Was the situation presented to him now different?

No, the jedi were practically dead, all that was left of them were the few that hid away, but if the jedi had risen from the ashes once, they could do so again.

But they could not do so without help.

This young knight was right, relying on what minimal skills he had would only lower his chances to survive.

The Jedi Order to Revan and the Exile.

The Jedi Order to this young man.

History once again repeating due to a stubborn refusal to change.

"You remind me of a very stubborn jedi I once taught." Zhar commented, a tired smile stretching over his face for a moment, "And perhaps he was right to do what he did."

Cal head snapped up, a bit thrown by that statement, "What?"

Zhar ignored Cal's confusion, "I suppose we can start right now if you are so inclined."

Cal blinked, deciding not to look a gift Bantha in the mouth "I would like to."

Zhar mouth tilted into what could've been considered a grin, "Very well."

* * *

Merrin and Xavier watched as Cal stayed in the same position, eye flicking behind his eyelids, but not even twitching from his position. Xavier was pacing and absently spinning his weapon in his hand. Merrin sat cross-legged and was fiddling with her inherited lightsaber as she ran her hands over the gleaming surface. Part of her was disgusted that she had to use Malicos' lightsaber, while another part of her took vindictive pleasure in it, knowing he would've refused her a chance to even touch his weapon. Merrin looked over to Xavier who looked uncomfortable at the situation of being alone with the person he fully intended to murder.

"We already forgave you." She said without preamble.

Xavier stiffened before exhaling in a rush, "Yeah... Well that doesn't exactly make me feel all that much better. What if I had killed you?"

"You didn't." Merrin replied, already resigning herself to this ethical debate. "If you had attacked Cal or Cere, I would've attacked you. You were operating without full knowledge of the situation was foolish but you can't truly be judged too harshly due to your past. Cal once suffered with the guilt of being unable to save his master much like how you were unable to save Falon and stop your brother. You did the right thing when it mattered, and you are no more guilty than Cal was as he was a child."

Xavier sighed and ran a hand through his hair, something he had let grow out since Falon's death, "I know."

"Then stop trying to apologize." Was Merrin's simple reply.

They waited in silence before Xavier inquired, "Are you going to try to meditate like Cal?"

Merrin stilled.

In all honesty she had considered it, Cal and Cere had started with basic lightsaber katas and stances for Niman and said that meditating was something she could do if she wanted to hone on her connection to The Force. Frankly, she had been a bit more interested in mastering her lightsaber and she already meditated quite a lot when it came to her magic, but maybe trying it with the force wouldn't be too different. Even so, she hadn't made it a priority with what she was learning, and at this temple, she wasn't sure she had enough experience to avoid the darkness that Cal had mentioned. The last thing she wanted was to have a dark vision of her past or see some alternate version of herself.

She was all too aware of how close she had come to killing Cal and her chest constricted painfully every time the ugly though reared its head.

"Perhaps after I have learned a bit more about The Force." She replied, absently twirling the hilt of the lightsaber in her hand, "I don't think that i have the experience as of now to do that in a place such as this."

Xavier nodded to himself, that was fair.

* * *

Cal wasn't exactly thrilled at the fact he had to find someone to mind-trick in order to practice, he'd seen Jaro Tapal do it, but he never had the chance to actually test it out for himself. Zhar had been very patient and kind — which Cal appreciated — but he wasn't sure how to explain to him he wasn't going to try to mentally dominate some poor farmer who he happened to be talking to.

"I am not saying to practice on a farmer." Zhar chuckled at Cal stumbling excuses, "Mind-trick is more than simply making someone doing something. You can have your enemies fight for you, influence the mind to ignore your presence, even conjure illusions if mastered. The only limitation is creativity when it comes to the force. Of course the ability is much much more difficult to apply to a force user, but it's not impossible."

"I never thought of that..." Cal mumbled.

Zhar hand lifted and his lightsaber snapped into his hand before igniting with a deep blue blade, "It's an advanced application, but still all advanced techniques are built upon the basics. Now we spar and we will consider it a resounding success if you can fend off my intrusions mid-battle."

Cal swallowed as he straightened and drew his lightsaber and the blade snapped to life.

Even if this was a vision, he had a very bad feeling this was gonna hurt.

The Force giggled in amusement around him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright time to focus on studying!**

***looks at blank page on Ipad and then at book filled with terms and equations***

***swivels head between the two***

**Goddammit brain.**

**P.S. A lot of the teaching concepts Zhar says to Cal take inspiration from the Novelization of Revenge of The Sith in the scene where Mace Windu is battling Palpatine, the specialization classes in KOTOR 2, and references to Luke's (now un-cannon) Jedi Academy.**

**P.P.S. Ander Arias, Treachery is the way of the Sith. The dogma of the Rule of Two — created in order to avoid the infighting between the various factions of the sith — that the student will one day kill the master. Granted, Palpatine wasn't going to just roll over for Vader, but Palpatine took Vader with the express notion that Vader was going to kill and overthrow Palpatine (someday or until a stronger apprentice came along). They both knew it was going to happen and either Vader would fail, or succeed and kill Palpatine. Vader was constantly plotting Palpatine's death at his hands (Hell, in the EU of the lore, when Vader makes a crystal bleed, he reverts into Anakin for a moment and has a vision/hallucination in where he sees himself kill Palpatine with a green lightsaber and meets Obi-wan before becoming Vader again after Obi-wan says his name).**

**Special thanks to jojobinks01 for contributions and discussion! Special thanks to Ander Arias for constructive advice! Any questions you may have can be PM'd if you want to know more.**

**P.P.P.S. All credit to respective owners!**

**-Y.A.R.N.**

* * *

Cal breathing picked up as his posture hunched, his eyed flicked under his eyelids as his mouth twisted into a focused frown. His hands on his lap clenched and unclenched even as the rest of his body remained hunter still and the force began to pulse within him.

Xavier crouched next to him, hand hovering over his shoulder uncertainly, "Should we wake him?"

"No!" Merrin said sharply, the force shouting in warning, "He will wake when ready, trying to wake him will cause him to react violently."

* * *

Cal had never quite understood the skill that came with being a master until just now, even after seeing Jaro Tapal in action against the clones were small flashes of skill he could admire and hopefully one day achieve. Even when it came to Vader, it was a short confrontation where he slashed with monstrous strength and punishing strokes that bore down on him like a meteor. Even Cere was beaten back — with one hand on Vader's part — despite having been a master (Cal had simply thought she may have been out of practice as he sparred with her constantly and found himself not exactly lacking). Cal had heard the stories of how the ancient jedi were so incredibly skilled with lightsabers in the few texts he had read in the temple.

Zhar was as relentless as Vader would have been in a drawn out fight, except his movements are lightning fast and his reflexes are insane.

His blade picked apart and tore through Cal's defense like it was little more than air, Cal constantly giving ground to try to gain some room to breathe. Another devastating part was Cal didn't feel too bad about his saber skills — something honed relentlessly for a year after his battle (which was really more of a get-the-hell-away flight) with Vader — and even then he could barely even attempt a strike (that would be blocked) through the flurries of attacks. And don't even get him started with trying to push the Master away. Just like with Vader and the apparition of Jaro Tapal on Dathomir, the master raised his hand and dissipated his slows and pushes with all the concern of brushing off a speck of dust. The worst part however, was the _demonstrations_ of the mind trick Zhar was trying to teach Cal.

He could brush off the psychic probes poking at his head easily enough — Cere had made sure that he wouldn't fall prey to any mind-tricks on that level — but when he managed to keep them from penetrating his head, Zhar stepped it up to illusions. Constant illusionary feints had him twitching in the wrong direction as the ghost had him hearing the hum from several different directions and his blade and form blurring enough for Cal to be on the receiving end of a punishing counter if he was unable to distinguish between real and fake in time. The Force's multiple cries and nudging managed to keep him from being bisected or decapitated by a killing blow (though he wasn't sure he could die from a vision even if the lightsaber that the jedi used scorched his skin like a lightsaber). Calling on the force to dissipate the fakes helped, but took too much focus and Cal's defense suffered from his lack of attention.

He let out a gasp of pain as the lightsaber landed a scorch in his side thanks to another subtle illusion. Cal collapsed to his knees and the master regarded him as the blue lightsaber he was using hovered under Cal's chin.

"Better than I thought you would do." Zhar said conversationally as he lowered his saber to his side, "You have impressive instincts."

Cal glared at the master, a hand still gently rubbing the multiple nicks and burns on his torso, "How in the name of The Force is that better than you thought?"

"You didn't die immediately." Zhar said rather blandly.

Cal felt the urge to put his head in his hands.

"Your will must be unshakeable to impose it over someone and see through their illusions, even more-so if you are fighting a force-user." Zhar instructed, deactivating his blade, "You were too focused on your lightsaber over your usage of The Force; to dispelling and construct illusions, you must be able to fight without intervention of the mind. Immerse yourself in your battle as well as in the force to keep you safe and hone your blade while your mind looks through the force for weaknesses and the tricks in your foe. A true jedi master will use the blade with the skill of a battle-master while using the force with the skill of a consular."

Cal nodded and closed his eyes, centering himself and getting up and igniting his blade, "Again."

Zhar was impassive, "Do you think you can disperse the illusions and defeat me now?"

"Honestly?" Cal replied, looking down at the saber clenched in his hand, "No. I have a long long way to go, but if I stop and retreat after every failure, I never get far."

A ghostly chuckled echoed through the room, "_Good. Keep failing, keep getting back up. That is the only way to succeed. Don't allow yourself to be weighed down by ego and pretense. Let go of what you fear to lose and rise up._"

Cal started and looking around wildly, hope and tremulous joy in his eyes, "Master?!"

Zhar cracked a smile, his saber once again blazing to life, "Your master taught you well. Come young jedi, again!"

Cal couldn't help the smile on his face as he relit his lightsaber, his master was with him, he always was.

They held their sabers in front of them in classic dueling etiquette before they both swung their blades which connected with a loud crackle.

* * *

When Cal finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Merrin was sitting in her own version of meditation, the talisman she carried with her glowing green with fire. Xavier was holding Merrin's lightsaber, eyes tracing the metal with nostalgia radiating off of him. Cal observed the way Xavier eyes traced the hilt, thumb hovering over the activation switch as though wishing to turn it on.

"Xavier?" He called gently.

Xavier jolted and dropped the lightsaber like it burned him, BD-1 trilled in excitement as Cal spoke, and Merrin was startled out of her meditation at the sound of the lightsaber hitting the ground and BD-1's excited beeping. She turned and saw the lightsaber at Xavier's feet and him looking away at the evening sky as though it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. She sighed softly and stretched out with her hand, the hilt rattled and slowly began to slide across the floor towards Merrin.

Cal blinked, it seemed Merrin had been practicing in her spare time.

Cal got out of his meditative kneel and watched with amusement as the hilt skittered across the floor — and while not constant in speed or trajectory, it was still working — only to stop at her feet, trembling as though an mild earthquake was shaking the ground around it. Merrin frowned as she stooped down to pick up the hilt and stared at it, frustrated at her inability to raise it to her hand.

"Having trouble with Force abilities?" Cal inquired softly as he walked over to the annoyed night-sister.

Merrin sighed and her shoulders slumped, "I am much more comfortable with my magic, but I suppose that is a matter of having trained with them since I was a child."

Cal laid a hand on her shoulder, "You're doing better than I did. Just give it time, the more you practice, the better you'll get. You've been training is only a fraction of the normal amount and even then I was studying basic saber stances, and hadn't quite touched on force-abilities. You're amazing for how little training you've got."

Merrin smiled at Cal, "And we'll grow stronger?"

Cal grinned "Together."

* * *

Cal idly stirred the contents of his food as he thought back to the conversation with Master Lestin. Maybe he had come off as rude, but if anything, Master Lestin seemed to approve of Cal's fire. The ghost didn't have to train him, but did anyway. Cal was sure that Zhar could booted him right out of the vision if he so desired.

And Jaro Tapal...

Cal had put his master's ghost to rest on Dathomir. He would honor his teachings and always love the man as a father and mentor, but would never let the death of the jedi haunt him again or blame himself again. Maybe Cal had been too weak (or guilty) before to garner a reaction from his master's ghost or presence, but hearing him had been wonderful. No guilt, no shame, none of the self-blame and loathing Cal felt towards himself in the numb and empty years on Bracca. He had dreams back then of the Order miraculously alive and well, sending someone to find him. Of Jaro Tapal alive again and teaching him; guiding him to become a knight. And his eyes would be leaking tears as his chest would ache with the agonizing loss of everything he had when he woke up.

Prauf had been nothing less than a gift in those dark times. Never probing, always there to lean on and worry about him while Cal desperately tried to bury himself into scrapping so he couldn't think. Prauf had always loved teaching Cal all the tricks of scrapping to distract him from the pain and misery he had all been but screaming since landing. He was probably the kindest of the scrappers to look after a lost-looking thirteen year old and taking him under his wing. He might of pitched himself into the small funeral fire he had lit for his master if he hadn't known that if he did that, Jaro Tapal would beat the afterlife out of him.

God he wished Prauf hadn't been so stupidly brave in calling out the Empire in front of the inquisitors.

But things were different now.

For all that Cal has only become a jedi knight, his journey for the holocron granted him wisdom. His various battles he had fought had given him skill. And landing on Dantooine had given him perspective (with a hint of peace). And in a way, Cal would always thank Prauf for forcing him to confront the pain he had ran from and frankly come to terms with it. He had become stronger for the strife and now he had a purpose beyond run and hide. When he finally gained all the knowledge he could, he could confront the Empire. He'd rebuild the jedi and this time he wouldn't perpetuate the past.

Cere nudged his shoulder and he turned, "Yeah?"

"So you seem to be in a good mood." She commented.

Cal sighed, a wistful smile tilting his lips, "Just thinking of good times and good people."

Cere smiled, "That's good. You seem happier lately, it's good to see."

Cal speared some meat on his utensil and popped it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully before replying, "Going to the temple, learning? It's a lot like when I was with Master Tapal. The Empire is still out there, but here? It seems so far away and it sometimes feels like I could stay here forever."

Cere sighed sadly at this, "It won't alway be like this."

Cal smirked, "I know. Inevitably The Force will put us on the path towards the fate. I wasn't ready before — I kept on trying to shut out the rest of the galaxy — but now I know to accept whatever The Force brings. I won't run from what I am meant to be any longer. I am a jedi, no matter what."

Greeze voice called out, "Well, you'd be much more impressive without the food stains on your lips mister 'I am a jedi'."

Cal blinks and began to rub at his mouth with his wrist while Cere laughed.

* * *

"Hey Xavier." Cal called as the clone was about to leave.

He had been watching Merrin and Cal spar again as Cere was meditating in a kneeling position. The day was winding down and Xavier had seen them all begin to prepare to get some rest when Cal approached him.

"What is it?" The clone replied.

"Catch." Cal said as lobbed the item at Xavier.

Xavier caught it and stared at the item in his hand.

It was a lightsaber hilt exactly like Merrin's. His hands shook as he realized what Cal gave him.

A lightsaber of his own.

"What...?" His gaze switched from Cal to the lightsaber in his hand, "How do you have another lightsaber?"

Cal shrugged, "The fallen jedi who we took those from was a Jar'kai practitioner. He had two lightsabers and we had been keeping this one in case Merrin wanted to use it."

"Why are you giving it to me?" Xavier demanded, his voice shaking.

"I just figured you'd be better at safe-keeping it than leaving it lying around our ship." Cal replied, eyes bright and grin mischievous, "Maybe the next time Merrin and I are sparring, you could join in? I think Merrin would appreciate a sparring partner more on her level."

Xavier swallowed heavily at this before nodding slowly and clipping the weapon to his belt, "I see... Um... thanks."

* * *

"Hey Merrin." Cere called after the night sister before they retired for the night.

"Yes?" A sense of trepidation wormed into the night-sister's gut.

"You should try to meditate at the temple when you get there."

Merrin paused and turned to the Jedi Master, "I can't."

"Why not?" Cere replied.

"When Cal first mediated at the temple," Merrin said softly, "That version of himself he saw left him doubting himself. He's moved past it but I don't know if I would be able to. I have so many regrets and pain."

"All the more reason to try." Cal said, stepping into the ship as he finished hand Xavier a lightsaber, "I saw what I could be if my darkness takes over. I saw what it would turn me into and that's why I am all the more determined to stay in the light. I saw the darkness, Cere used it. We both have the capacity to look into the dark despite standing in the light. The jedi would have never allowed it, but if they actually looked and saw they may have been able to avoid the Purge."

Cere looked at him, "Cal... The dark side is dangerous! I don't want you to understand it!"

Cal shook his head, "There's a difference between understanding in regards to seeing and understanding in regards to use! I don't want to use it, but if I don't know how it works, I wouldn't be able to identify and stop it! The Sith hid in the shadow of the jedi, The Emperor was on Coruscant the entire time and no one could see it!"

Cere was silent, frowning as she considered that.

Cal didn't blame her for her adamant refusal to have anything to do with the dark side. She had lost so much to the dark that she wanted to reject everything about it.

Cal knew he wasn't going to win this argument, so he stopped himself from talking.

But The Force in him sang contentedly, he knew that he was onto something, he just needed to find the right path.

* * *

Zhar shifted away from a slash and riposted with a sharp jab that Cal batted away with the other blade of his lightsaber before moving in to swipe at the master's waist. Zhar danced out of range and Cal followed, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in concentration. In a moment of inspiration, he dug his lightsaber into the floor and swiped upwards, sending slag and molten bits of floor towards the Master's face. The Master waved his hand and the debris parted around the master and his the floor with a light sizzle. Cal rushed in with an overhand strike that crashed against Zhar's lightsaber in a loud crackle while instinctively tilting to the side to avoid a thrust that would have carved into his ribs.

'Another illusion!' Cal growled in his head.

He was now working on simply identifying the illusions, deciding that dispelling them mid combat was still a bit too far out of his skill level at the moment. Instead, he would double down on his focus and place more into blocking the strikes that resonated in the force with danger. Illusions would pass through him harmlessly, but he kept expecting them to hurt. In lieu of that, the force kept nudging him and constantly warning him to avoid multiple attacks that weren't even there. Now, he directed the force only to warn him of what would actually hurt him, not the several illusions that had him on a constant defense. Zhar had chuckled at Cal's explanation, but allowed for the knight to use this with a clear air of approval.

It was the point of the exercise after all.

It hadn't suddenly closed the gap in saber-skills between the two but allowed for Cal to actually strike more frequently with what small gaps the crafted illusions provided. Cal was now incorporating heavy-handed Jar'Kai guard breaks and swift double saber spins into his style, pressing his offense when he could before dancing away with his double-saber augmenting his defense. Zhar inwardly nodded in approval, even with his minor application in how he wanted the force to direct him was the first step in battle-mastery. With a body, Zhar would've only been able to manage small illusions even at the height of his powers, but years as one with the force had taught him much and allowed him to have control of the vision the knight was in. The illusions crafted were never meant to be dispelled, simply noticed and ignored.

In a battle for a jedi's life, said jedi needed to block out everything that would distract him but the moment of the fight and the force. While the young knight still relied on his eyes to make judgments, he was slowly letting the force guide him more and more, soon he would be able to start fighting while blinded.

* * *

The Haxion Brood's best and last hunter stared at the unassuming farmland planet from space, fingers interlocked.

"Such a backwater planet... Truly an amazing hiding spot, Kestis..." He chuckled.

It was pure luck that he had actually stumbled across the bounty as he had been in the sector when he picked up on the planet's rudimentary communications about a jedi. Even though they were quickly squashed and censored, Jek Whrom knew what he saw.

It could only be Cal Kestis, practically every other jedi was dead.

With the bounty from both the Empire and the Sorc Tomo, he would be set for several lifetimes.

And get revenge for the decimation of his syndicate. He got up and walked to his trophy room, staring at the various trinkets he had taken from his many bounties. As he walked by the trophies he walked up to a body-sized box that was encased in metal. As he typed in a code onto the side of the panel, the metal slid up to reveal his armor behind a glass pane. ran his hand over the glass and gently slid the transparisteel glass aside to pick up his suit.

Finally he armed himself with flame-thrower gauntlets, thermal detonators, flash-bangs, a jetpack, and finally the specialized weapon he carried for jedi.

A felucian skull-blade.


	8. Chapter 8

**And if you guys are dissatisfied with what Cal and crew will be doing in the current chapters, I would just like to say I have a poll you can vote on for time skips! You have direct influence on whether you want to me to cover every single year till things actually start kicking off! Also, some Cere combat in this chapter!**

**A bit of a note in this chapter, I am sticking to the 'legends' idea of force healing, like healing trances and healing that doesn't require to siphon off your own life force to heal others.**

**All credit to respective Owners!**

**-Y.A.R.N.**

* * *

Cere tensed from where she was giving the comm channels a cursory scan as The Force thrummed in warning. She stood up with her lightsaber in hand so suddenly that Greeze nearly fell out his seat.

"Cere?" He asked cautiously.

"Someone's coming." She said, voice steady and calm.

It was times like this Greeze remembered that the jedi weren't just people who meditated all day and could lift stuff with their mind. They were members of an order of warriors that he thought the galaxy had lost forever 6 and a half years ago. The jedi didn't waste time before buckling on her armor from her pack and adjusting it to make sue it would not get in the way. Fully armed, Cere walked out side and closed her eyes, concentrating on the danger that was coming and letting the force flow through her. Her eyes snapped open and she groaned in annoyance, she never hated Greeze's gambling habits as much as she did in that moment.

"What?" Greeze said through the commlink, already prepping the ship to make a quick getaway if need be, "Is it the Empire?"

"Haxion Brood." Cere replied curtly, The Force humming in her ear.

Greeze slouched in his seat and placed his head in his hands, "I thought you and Cal killed all of them!"

"Apparently not." Cere said as a ship appeared in the distance and began to lower itself as it approached, "Call Cal and Merrin back and warn them."

"On it." Greeze replied as he began to call Cal.

The ship landed a fair distance away as its engine's whine began to die down. The boarding ramp lowered in a hiss of steam and a man in slightly more decorated Haxion Brood armor walked out, a rifle casually rested on his shoulder while his free hand rested casually on his belt where an odd blade hung from his wrist. Cere twirled the hilt of her lightsaber before igniting its bright green blade and setting herself in a ready stance. The bounty hunter walked over till he was a couple of yards away, looking around to see if he could see Cal. He frowned when he didn't see hide or hair of the kid, must have been out at the moment.

With a shrug he turned his attention to Cere, "You must one of that Kestis brat's groupies. Mind calling him over? This doesn't have to get bloody, just hand the kid over and I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. After all, Sorc Tomo isn't happy that his entire syndicate has been wiped out by one guy."

Cere scoffed, "Walk away. You don't want to do this, leave this planet and leave us alone or Sorc Tomo is going to lose the last of his attack dogs."

Jek grinned a feral smirk, "I was hoping that you would say that! I have not had a good challenge in hunting in far too long! I am going to enjoy this and the reward for dead jedi will make this all the sweeter."

* * *

Cal was about to start sparring with Merrin when his commlink beeped with an urgent message from Greeze.

Puzzled, he answers and raises the device to his lips, "Hey. What's up?"

"Haxion Brood has tracked us down!" Greeze shouted, "Cere fighting outside!"

"What?!" Cal shouts, startling Merrin as he mildly freaks, "But I thought I got all of them!"

"Does that matter?! Hurry back!" Greeze demands.

"Cal?" Merrin inquires as Cal swears.

"Bounty hunters are at the Mantis!" Cal responds curtly as he begins to sprint back towards where the Mantis was, using the force to further bolster his speed.

Merrin's eyes widen and she begins to sprint as well.

* * *

Cere's hand shot out to form a barrier as flames washed around her, buffeting the jedi with a wave of heat. She grit her teeth as the flames died down only to fling herself to the side as a thermal detonator landed in front of her. The explosion's concussive wave of force pushed her away farther than she expected and she rolled to her hands and knees. She quickly rose, igniting her lightsaber and standing tall to deflect a hail of lasers raining down on her; with a swipe she deflected a bolt back at the bounty hunter attacking her. The reflected bolt struck his shoulder and he grunted in annoyance as the force of the bolt striking him caused him to spin and descend slightly in the air.

He checked his smoking shoulder armor and scowled at the jedi who was already in her stance, "You are really starting to piss me off!"

"You chose this fight." Cere replied calmly, "You had the chance to leave and you chose not to take it."

"The Haxion Brood never runs from a bounty!" Jek roared in fury.

"You are outmatched!" Cere shouted, "You and Sorc Tomo are all that is left of the Haxion Brood, the rest of your crime syndicate bit of more than they could chew chasing after us and paid the price!"

Jek sneered, "They weren't prepared and underestimated you! I won't make the same mistake!"

He rapidly typed on his wrist as he jetted back away from the jedi to gain some distance. The hatch on his ship lowered and four modified magna guards stalked down the ramp with electro-staffs crackling. Cere scowled as she suddenly found herself outnumbered and shifted closed to the Mantis, hoping to cover her back with its bulk.

"Like it?" Jek sneered, "One of our bounties had some very interesting cargo on it when we took him out. We saw no reason to lose these to the highest bidder and Sorc Tomo agreed when he gave them to me after you killed the rest. He knew they were designed for fighting jedi, and I could use them effectively. Don't worry, I am sure that Kestis will be happy to know you died quickly."

Cere stretched out her hand and unleashed a wave of the force that sent one Magna Guard flying back into the bounty hunter's ship hull. It crashed against it with a loud 'CLANG' and fell the to the floor, only to push itself back to its hands and feet. Cere rotated her wrist and pushed out as though punching an invisible foe and the electro-staff flew the air. The staff lit up with lightning as it activated moments before it speared through the droid's middle, pinning it to the ship. The magna guard screeched loudly as it tugged at the weapon, trying to dislodge it in order to get back to the ground. Jek clicked his tongue in annoyance, of course the jedi would use the force to even the odds.

"Don't let her fight back!" He roared as he unleashed a stream of blaster fire at Cere, "Push the assault!"

Cere whirled to deflect the shots away when she was forced to turn in order to block an electro-staff from striking her in the back of the head. She pushed down on the weapon while using the force to lift herself up to roll over the shoulders of the magna guard, landing to meet the strike of the other magna guard. She spun away as the droid she rolled over swept at her chest with a wide stroke of its staff. She backpedaled and flipped a few bolts fired at her at the magna guards, the guards barely reacted as the batted the blaster bolts away. Jek grumbled as he was unwilling to fire quite as indiscriminately as before; hitting his droid would only hurt himself in this fight. Cere ducked and leapt back, her lightsaber lashing out to knock a few of the staffs crackling ends away from her. She hissed as one of the Jek's blasters grazed her shoulder mid-movement and a staff-swing came close enough to scorch her pants.

She needed to give herself some breathing room.

With a sharp 'Ha!' She shoved her hands out, letting out a wave of the force in all directions. Jek thrusted away before he could feel the full brunt of the force repulse, but the magna guards weren't quite as lucky as they were sent flying. The crashed into the ground away and Cere immediately followed up by clapping her palm together as though squashing a bug flying around her. One of the magna guards crumpled in on itself like a canned drink being crushed under a massive hand. Jek scowled and fired at the Jedi who glared at him with narrowed eyes. She deflected the blaster-fire as she moved towards the recovering droids, letting the force control her blade.

The other two magna guards clambered to her feet but Cere was already in motion, she had face these droid before and hated them with a passion. Her viridian blade a streak of green as she lopped off one's leg and drove a strike into the other's photoreceptor. The droid on the other hand, didn't seem quite as perturbed at the loss of its limb as it jammed its staff into the ground and twisted to launch a kick into Cere's chest. The jedi grunted in pain as she moved with the blow, rolling backwards to her feet and bring her blade back up diagonally across her torso. The magna guard used its staff as a crutch as it advanced while the other didn't seem slowed by the loss of a eye in any appreciable way. Jek landed and slung his rifle over his back before he unsheathed his felucian skull blade to hold in one hand while drawing a blaster for his other hand.

"It's over jedi." He sneered, "Stop fighting and I'll make your death quick."

Cere glanced between the three and took a step back as she gritted her teeth. She wished that Cal or Merrin were here instead of being at the broken down enclave that they had not so recently appropriated as their new training ground in the jedi arts. Suddenly a blaster bolt stuck the magna guards' and the droids staggered before they whirled to seem a man on a speeder rushing at them with a blaster in hand.

Xavier Grey had arrived at the Mantis.

He nearly crashed his speeder into Jek as the bounty hunter flung himself to the side to avoid the speeder and stared in incredulous fury at the newcomer. Xavier powered off his speeder and rolled off the side as Jek opened fire, ducking away and replying with a volley of his own blaster-fire. Jek dashed to the side and snarled as a blaster bolt knocked his blaster out of his hand. The bounty hunter tried to unsling his rifle to open fire on the clone but Xavier was faster and lunged at him, managing to knock the bounty hunter down and wrench the rifle away from him. Jek kicked at the weapon out Xavier's hands and charged at the man, swinging his skull-blade at the man's neck. Xavier swiped at his belt and ignited the lightsaber Cal had given him just in time to block the blow just before the weapon would've sliced into his clavicle. The bounty hunter and clone adjusted their footing two weapons were locked in a shower of sparks.

"Another jedi?" Jek roared, "You bastards keep crawling out of the woodwork!"

Xavier grunted and pushed the blade away before back-fisting the bounty-hunter who stumbled away from the soldier-turned-farmer. Xavier pressed his assault, blade gleaming a deep crimson as he rained blows down on the Haxion Brood's final member. As the two battled, Cere turned her focus onto the magna guards. She let go her lightsaber with one hand and used her now-free hand to direct the force to lift the two guards in the air before repeatedly slamming them down into the ground. With her not having to worry about Jek, she was free to focus on the magna guards without being shot. She clenched her hand into a fist and the crushed the weakened droids into sparking piles of scrap metal.

Jek and Xavier blades crackled and flashed as they came in contact with each other, sending sparks flying into the air.

"How do you like the blade?" Jek jeered as he deflected a slash before riposting with a thrust, "Was hard to find on the black market, but Sorc was more than willing to find one for when I finally hunted Kestis down! A felucian skull blade is one of the few weapons capable of defending against lightsabers! Should be more than enough for some lightsaber-wielding farmer who doesn't seem like much of a jedi!"

"You talk too much." Xavier grunted as he tilted away from the thrust.

Jek grabbed at Xavier hand as he tackled the former soldier tried to get to his discarded blaster, keeping him from the weapon. They grunted as they both struggled against each other, wrestling while clashing their blades against each other. Xavier slammed his elbow into Jek's forearm, causing the bounty hunter to drop his weapon, only for Jek to slam his knee into Xavier's stomach, winding the clone enough for Jek to gain the advantage and knock the lightsaber out of the clone's hand. The bounty hunter didn't hesitate to lock the clone's hands under his knees — keeping him from rising — and wrapping a hand around his throat. Xavier struggled as he twisted and yanked, trying to dislodge the bounty hunter on top of him as he felt his oxygen wane.

"Time to die, farmboy!' Jek crowed victoriously as he pointed his wrist-mounted flame-thrower right at Xavier's skull.

"Get off of me!" Xavier roared, the force roiling around him.

He instinctively released a wave of force from his body that sent Jek's spurt of flame wide and sending the bounty hunter flying off of him into a heap a couple of feet away. Xavier coughed as he rolled over onto his side to massage his throat and look for the lightsaber he was using. Jek shook his head to clear it when he was violently yanked into the air before being dragged away from Xavier, who had managed to regain the lightsaber. He flailed and tried to get back to the ground when an arm wrapped around his neck and a emerald beam of light suddenly pierced through his chest. He stilled and looked down in shock at the blade protruding from his chest before slowly looking back at Cere's cold expression.

"You chose this." She growled as she deactivated her lightsaber and let go of the man's neck.

Jek slid down to his knees, eyes wide in disbelief, "No... I can't... die like this...!"

"Too bad for you," Xavier snarked, approaching, "you are."

"Not alone!" The bounty hunter screamed as he drew out several thermal detonators wired to each other and pressed a button causing all of them to light up.

Cere and Xavier eyes widened before they flung themselves away from the spot as hard as they could.

The thermal detonators exploded in a eruption of flames.

* * *

Cal saw the flame rush up into the sky from where he had been sprinting, worry washing over him as he imagine the damage it could do. He fumbled for the com-link that was at his waist as tried to force down his fear for his family. Merrin let our a gasp as the sight despite the fact she was already panting in trying to keep pace with Cal who was force-sprinting at top speed.

"Cere?" He shouted into the comm, "Cere answer me!"

* * *

Cere stirred as she slowly and carefully pushed herself to her knees, ears ringing and vision blurry. She took a moment to feel the pain that wracked her body, trying to pinpoint if anything would require more than conventional bandages (they had bacta but Cere was very conservative when it came to the valuable healing liquid). There were some fairly painful burns but she managed to use the force to direct most of the heat and flames away from her and the ship and into the sky. She glanced around the scorched and burning land before she saw another figure sprawled on the ground a few feet away from her.

"Xavier!" She coughed as she struggled to her feet.

She stumbled over to the farmer and blanched at the blackened clothing and red splotch coming from his side that was soaking through his clothing. She knelt next to him and placed her fingers on his neck, almost sagging in relief at the pulse that drummed under her fingers. If he was alive, she could heal him, if he was dying she wasn't quite as confident that she could keep him stable. Either way, now wasn't the time to muse; Cere placed her hands on his side and took a deep breath, letting the force flow into her and into Xavier. The wound in his side glowed blue as it began to knit together and Xavier sighed in relief even in his unconscious state.

His eyes slowly slid open and he tried to rise before Cere pushed him down with muted strength, "No. Stay down, we don't know how much damage you've taken from that bounty hunter. I did a minor healing with the force but you need real medical attention, not just that."

He frowned but laid back down, "What about you? Are you okay?"

Cere managed a tired smile, "A bit banged up, but I've had much much worse. I'll be fine with some rest."

It was at that moment Cal burst into the area, face stricken and eyes wild, Merrin right behind him and looking much the same. Seeing Xavier and Cere both relatively well, he all but collapsed in relief. He quickly made his way over and knelt by Xavier's side as well. Greeze also jogged out of the ship with rolls of bandages and a canister of bacta as he approached ready to give them to whoever needed them. Cere and Cal both gently maneuvered Xavier to sit up and press against his side as Cal took the bandages before sprinkling a light amount of bacta on them before expertly wrapping them around Cere's injuries.

* * *

After Cere was taken into the Mantis, Cal began to work on Xavier, saving his side for last. Cere had already worked some force on it, so it wasn't quite as bad as it could've been, but it did still need more than a bit of force magic.

"You've done this before." Xavier noted, grunting slightly as Cal pressed bacta-soaked bandage against his side, "Where'd you learn that? As a jedi?"

"Bracca." Cal replied quietly, lightly tightening the bandages on Xavier's wounds without making the wrapping uncomfortable for the farmer (something he did with the proficiency of someone who had to do this many times before), "Scrapping is a dangerous job. Injures are a part of the territory, how severe they are can end a career or a life if you're not careful. Bruises and burns like this were actually pretty common considering the machinery may not have been shut off properly and still carried electricity. We sometimes weren't able to make it to the medics and keep a wounded person alive at the same time, so all the scrappers had to invest some of their time in medical training."

"You learned to do them yourself?" Xavier inquired curiously, "You must have picked things quickly."

Cal shook his head as he smiled softly, "Prauf... He taught me everything he could, he was the one who found me after I managed to light a funeral pyre for Master Tapal. He was such a kind person, I could have been abducted by people who didn't care, but Prauf saw a small kid alone and afraid and took me under his wing. When he saw what I was, he was willing to keep my secret and even decided to distract the inquisitors for me to have a chance to live. I miss him, every now and then I think about him and hope he's at peace."

Xavier stayed quiet after that, and something in him warning him not to keep asking as he stared at the wistful edge that tinged the jedi's face. Everyone had lost someone, as for Cal it had been his former life as a padawan, then his master and finally his friend.

Xavier had lost his 'father' and his batch brother.

They were quiet as Cal finished wrapping to Xavier's wounds to the best of his abilities. Cal stood up and held out his hand to Xavier, who used it to haul himself to his feet.

"Hey." Cal said quietly, "Thank you. You probably saved Cere's life."

Xavier nodded at Cal's thanks, "It's fine. I guess I was tired of jedi dying."

Cal called the lightsaber Xavier had been using to his hand and smiled as he pressed it into Xavier's grasp, "Yeah. Me too."

Cal began to walk towards the Haxion Brood's ship, intent on cannibalizing the ship for any spare parts.

Xavier looked down at the hilt in his grasp, "Hey Cal?"

Cal turned, "Yeah?"

"Can anyone be a jedi? Regardless of age and past?" Xavier asked quietly.

Cal grinned, "Of course. Do want to start once you've healed?"

Xavier looked at Cal, eyes filled with determination, "Yes."


	9. Chapter 9

***DingDingDing***

**And it's over folks, the loser got a heavy start on the winner, but with the wind pushing it forwards, the winner had taken the goal!**

**There WILL BE a time-skip.**

**Cal's lightsaber style: I have studied and studied all the lightsaber forms and used that in conjunction with the skill tree and attacks we see Cal use in the game. He is stated to have a hybrid style he developed, so I looked into the forms and noted that he has the qualities of many forms in his style, although unrefined. His strikes and combos are wide and sweeping — despite being fast and containing flourishes — which is common on the basis of Shii-Cho teachings. His attack style seem to be more in line with the Juyo/Djem So in practice as they are staccato bursts and counters, not like the styles of attack in other forms. However, he uses one of the most common Niman attacks of pulling an enemy into a lightsaber stab while also using physical strikes and force powers in his combat to augment his attacks. In his finishers there are also signs of Niman/Juyo hybrids as he often rolls over, kicks, or uses his free hand to grapple his opponent to slash them (with the slightest smidge of Ataru in his jumps while locked on). There is even a hint of Djem So and Shien in his heavy attacks and bolt deflection respectively. It seems that the only form he really lacks any noticeable signs of are Makashi and Soresu.**

**P.P.S. All credit to respective owners.**

**P.P.P.S. Special Thanks to Ander Arias for a very interesting idea.**

**-YARN**

* * *

Cannibalizing and appropriating Jek's ship was nothing short of a gift for the crew of the Mantis as it gave them some very nice supplies and utilities. While there was only one functioning Magna Guard — still pinned to the ship by way of electro-staff — there were weapons, a speeder bike, credit chips (a very large sum of them), mechanic tools, and supplies to keep them stocked and not needing to work for some time yet. Frankly the bounty hunter's ship had been prepared for general possibilities since there was the fact that he happened to stumble upon knowledge on where they were by pure chance and Cal could have been anywhere in the galaxy. Eventually, they would've had to get supplies that they were going to trade with the settlers and frankly they only had a scant amount of credit's left from their year on the run.

Bounty hunting wasn't profitable if you were trying to use only the bare minimum was difficult at best, impossible at worst (especially since if they used a lightsaber, they had to either kill their bounties or pass off their lightsabers as a weapon they found). Bounties in and of themselves were tough enough at times, especially when you had to hold back, going for the easier ones was still problematic as they were still the cheapest. Even with that they had to constantly pay for fuel and any repairs to the ship that may have happened. All in all, they were didn't have a decent amount of credits as they would have liked. Since they occasionally traded with the farmers and traveling merchants that visited Dantooine for necessities, the group's amount was practically empty in regards to what they had to use as currency.

But it wasn't hard to make sure they weren't going after people who didn't deserve it was hard enough with all the petty bounties on the lists.

The Force did help in small ways.

And the big ways too.

* * *

Cal and BD-1 examined the pieces of the Magna-guards after carefully deactivating the one Cere didn't completely destroy. BD prodded some of the pieces as he scanned them, informing Cal of which were still salvageable and which were little more than twisted metal. Fortunately all four of the electrostaffs they wielded were unharmed and usable, which is something Cal had an idea for later. but what really mattered to the former scrapper was that they could use these parts to rebuild the droids for training. Obviously if they were on the ship the directive system or processor or whatever was probably loaded on there as well, Cere had much more experience with that area of machines though.

Purge troopers tended to favor electrostaff based weapons and Magna-guards were the epitome of jedi-killing droids in The Clone Wars, fighting against them would be invaluable to Merrin and Xavier. Guards to General Grievous himself and he had taken down their fair share of knights and padawans during the war. If they ever got separated and had to fend of purge troopers, they needed training against these sort of enemies. His training sessions at the enclave had been going well (considering he was up against a ghost of an ancient jedi master who had just begun to teach him how to heal himself using the force), and he could feel himself growing stronger and stronger. Cere had been impressed when they had last sparred and he had been faster and more focused, his connection to the force thrumming loud and clear as they danced around each other, weapons sizzling and clashing in loud crackles.

* * *

Cal watched Merrin and Xavier spar with interest as he sat with his head tilted and propped in his hand. Cere was standing tall and her arms were crossed as she noted where each one of them had holes in their defenses and offense. They were both doing very well —Xavier was much farther along than they had initially thought — Merrin explained how the nightsisters had basic blade training, and Xavier had been a soldier and wielded and trained in the usage a force pike. However their skill had evened out since Merrin had been training heavily since she expressed a desire to and Xavier skills had dulled since his defection from the Empire.

"Xavier's hesitating." Cere murmured as Xavier dodged a kick from Merrin by stepping back when he could have struck back.

"Don't really blame him." Cal replied, "He hasn't fought in a long time and his battle with Jek and using a lightsaber brought back old memories he hasn't quite dealt with."

"Still," Cere noted, "He's doing remarkably well even without considering he was a jedi clone and probably trained as he was force sensitive. It seems his fighting instincts are returning to him. Merrin's also come pretty far along, she still has some reservations about whose lightsaber she is using, but otherwise she's very talented."

"Maybe you should also start teaching them more." Cal replied, "I mean I am still refining my own unique style since I never got past the basics of Shii-Cho. Zhar said my basic knowledge of was good foundation to build off of, but since I improvised a style to overcome my weaknesses, he's just been getting me to focus on Shien to make up for my lack of formal lightsaber-deflection training and multiple Juyo and Niman techniques that he said could sharpen my attacks and well-suited to my hybrid style to compensate up for my lack of formal training. I am just starting on learning how to heal others and myself, and from there I apparently will be taught more."

Cere smiled, "It's good to hear. We all need to get stronger. We have to."

* * *

When Cal used his new speeder bike to get to the temple, Merrin's arms wound around his waist as she accompanied him. BD-1 had opted to. Hold onto the scant amount of the seat left behind Merrin rather than on Cal's shoulder, which meant Merrin had free reign to cling to him. He tried not to broadcast his emotions as he felt the body of the night-sister pressed up against him. It was a almost startling realization, he had always known Merrin was well... a girl. However, as he felt the curves of the night-sister flush against his back, he was hit with the fact that she was a woman.

An incredibly attractive woman who he knew had some very strong feelings for him and knew that if he were to dwell too much on it, that he felt the same way.

And every time the speeder bike jolted slightly or turned, Merrin would shift against him to be secure again, which didn't help his focus on anything other than the night-sister at all. Cal swallowed and tried to ignore how much his body appreciated the sensations she was eliciting in him. The moment he got off the speeder, Cal quickly knelt by the ruins and let the force guide him to the council room that they were using for his training. He really hoped Merrin didn't notice how flushed he was, but he decided that he'd put that off for as long as possible.

* * *

Cal he rose to his feet after he felt himself settle and as he stood he noticed that next to Zhar was —

"Master Yoda?!" Cal blurted before he could censor himself.

There was brief moment of silence as Cal gaped in astonishment.

"Not quite." Zhar chuckled at Cal's startled expression.

If anything the Yoda lookalike looked amused as Cal struggled to apologize, embarrassment now tinging his presence in the force, "Master Vandar, my name is young jedi. During Zhar's time, Another Jedi Master of the council I was. Interested I was, to meet the newest student that has arrived to the old enclave."

Cal noted several differences between this master and Yoda aside from subtle facial features. For one thing, where Yoda's skin was green, this jedi's skin was a soft brown. Whereas Yoda was garbed in dark brown robes over a pale brown tunic, this master — like Zhar — wore blue robes instead. The two jedi observed with an air of amusement as Cal sketched a formal bow before them and readied himself for the lesson of today.

"While much improvement Master Zhar has seen regards to your saber skills." Vandar lectured, "Learn more about the abilities you possess with force, he has neglected. Untapped potential, you have. Knowledge, you lack."

"Healing is a more specific version of the innate skill all jedi have to augment their bodies using the force. Instead of supporting your physical abilities, you draw the force to enhance the body's healing rate. The most skilled or powerful of the healers could help the body recover enough to survive a particularly serious wound." Zhar picked up where Vandar left off, "Specialized teachings of healing are often only taught to those who intend to focus only on healing, but considering the current state of the jedi, exceptions are only to be expected. In the beginning, you will properly have to meditate to focus the force properly, but as your skill increases in it, you should be able to keep moving and heal yourself in tandem."

Cal nodded, "I see."

With an deceptive amount of calm composure, Vandar held out his hand.

Orange and green lightning erupted and struck Cal before he even had a chance to brace himself. Cal fell to his hands and knees as the lightning danced over his body and he struggled to keep from passing out from the pain. He collapsed onto his side, crying out as the electricity sent constant waves of pain through him. Vandar hummed in contemplation as he dropped his hand and the barrage of lightning ended. Cal took deep breaths, drawing in the force to try to dull the pain as his body smoked and pain wracked through his body. As he groaned, Zhar knelt next to him and gently twined his force presence with Cal's, gently guiding him how to manipulate the force to soothe away the pain and fix his wounds. Cal breathing hitched as he felt Zhar **pour** the force over Cal's various injuries and his body felt better, the burns he was feeling quickly being soothed away. Cal slowly got to his knees, flexing his fingers as he looked over his body.

"That was as fast as BD's health stims..." He murmured, "This is amazing..."

"Are you ready to try again?"

Cal winced.

* * *

Merrin was kneeling next to Cal, trying to draw some comfort from his proximity before she closed her eyes and let the force flow in. It was dangerous, she had never attempted to use the force in this manner, her magics were familiar and safe, but she had no idea if she would have a vision of some dark version of herself or something else entirely. The force pulled at her and she found the darkness placing in a world that wasn't Dantooine. She was immediately aware of her surroundings in that instead of the grass against her legs and cool breeze of the farmland planet, she was on dusty brown flooring and stale air that gently drifted around her. She opened her eyes and paled at the sight of the familiar surroundings.

She was in the Tomb of Kujet, and she was all alone.

"Hello little witch." A familiar voice echoed from behind her.

She instinctively rolled away from the voice and pulled her lightsaber from her belt, igniting it in a flash of red as she got into her stance. Anger and shame burned through her at the sight of Taron Malicos standing before her, smirking.

He drew his lightsabers and ignited them, "To think you would take my lightsabers. I suppose it is fitting that even now, you are still foolish enough to believe that you could've ever get rid of me."

Merrin scowled at the man who betrayed her, who sought her magics and was consumed by the darkness of Dathomir. The man who made a mockery of the death of the nightsisters, who lied and trapped her in a bottomless pit of despair and vengeance.

The man who was dead and locked away in a tomb on Dathomir.

"You are dead, Malicos!" She growled, trying to ignore the fear she felt at seeing him, "You are dead and gone, never to return!"

"If you truly believed that," He riposted, "then why am I here?"

"You are an illusion!" She challenged, "Nothing more than a trick!"

He began to sprint at her, "Then you should hold no fear from me!"

He brought his lightsabers down in a heavy strike and Merrin didn't bother trying to match the blow with her own saber, she ducked away before lashing out with a blast of green fire. Malicos crossed his sabers in front of him, bearing through the flames with his own strength. He slashed his blades down to disperse the flames and advanced, blades a streak of red lightning. Merrin backpedaled, desperately trying to defend herself against the blows that were raining down on her like an avalanche. She had never realized just how hard an actual lightsaber duel was, the way she had to watch all of Malicos' movements carefully, making sure to never miss a attack lest she be killed. Her training under Cere's eye had never been this demanding and difficult. How had Cal even lasted as long as he had when he had fought Malicos back on Dathomir?

"Face the truth witch." He sneered, hammering at her with punishing strokes of his lightsabers, "You are nothing more than a child. You do not deserve Kestis and a place among his family, you will die alone and unloved, a simple tool for that boy. Once he finds someone better than the witch who attempted to kill him, you will be replaced."

They locked blades and Merrin face scrunched in stress as she felt the blades lowering towards her. Sweat beaded down her brow and she stepped back — trying to ignore the buried doubts and pain that Malicos was unearthing in her mind — only for her foot to hit nothing.

She ran out of room to move and she let out a cry as she began to tip back as Malicos stepped back with a mocking laugh.

"No!" She screamed, hand waving as she used her magic.

Immediately she felt the familiar sensation of her body shifting through space to appear behind Malicos in a burst of green flame, who whirled to face her. She held a hand to her chest as her heart threatened to explode from sheer panic she had just experienced. She had barely straightened before she felt her body stiffen without her volition, as though something was seizing her. She was lifted up before slamming into the ground painfully and then being chucked away like a errant piece of trash. She hit the the floor and rolled painfully to a stop, groaning as she stood back up, panic and anger surging in her at the sight of Malicos laughing.

"What's wrong little witch?" He taunted, "Surely the mighty nightsisters of Dathomir are more formidable than this! Oh that's right isn't it? There are no more sisters, you are the last of your race, a broken and scared child."

"Silence!" She screamed.

"Just like the man you love is the same, an unworthy acolyte of a dead order." He finished, ignoring her, "I'll take care of him and his friends after you lay dead at my feet."

Merrin's eyes blazed with green light as she felt her panic, hate, and fear at Malicos rise to new heights at his threat.

She howled and raised her hands above her head, forming a sphere of green flames before launching a river of flames at Malicos. Who was still laughing as the flames washed over him, unafraid at the incensed nightsister's wrath. The world around the nightsister dissolved into a storm of rust-colored clouds as the force of her spell shattered the walls around her. Malicos' laughter echoed around Merrin as she trembled with emotion. Alongside Malicos' laughter, howls of the monsters on Dathomir echoed and the cheers of nightbrothers swearing allegiance to Malicos added to the pandemonium around her.

"Stop." She whispered, "No more."

The world pressed down on her like an actual weight as the screams of her dying sister were added to the chorus of noise.

Too much.

Merrin crouched down, squeezing her eyes closed and clamping her hands over her ears in an attempt to silence the cacophony of screams and laughter, "Leave me alone!"

As if mocking her, the clamor only grew louder and louder adding in explosions and the sounds of lightsabers igniting and humming.

And Cal crying out in what she knew was pain.

"Unloved! Alone! Weak! Unloved! Alone! Weak! Unloved! Alone! Weak!" The screams chanted.

"STOP!" She screamed.

The noise only grew louder and the chanting didn't abate as Merrin felt as though her skull would spit from the stress. The darkness and madness pressed in on all sides and Merrin sobbed as she felt utterly alone.

* * *

Cal had only just gotten done with his first attempt at a basic healing meditation when he felt Merrin's distress through the force and his head snapped up, eyes wide.

"Merrin!" He shouted as he shot to his feet.

Zhar and Vandar didn't react beyond backing away from the panicking knight, letting him search for a way to escape. They knew he cared for the people under his care and he wasn't going to abandon them if they were in trouble. They had been aware of someone else meditating but wouldn't interfere, it was not their place quite yet. Every student that came had to face their demons, and while Cal hadn't been able to truly defeat his, his own shadow hadn't beaten him either. His own personal failures didn't overcome him, leaving him unable to stand for his beliefs. He had been able to let go of his doubts and the presence of his allies and companions had renewed his faith.

Apparently, the newcomer hadn't been able to do the same for herself alone.

But she didn't have to.

Cal didn't give a damn about the training right now and closed his eyes, centering himself as he fell into a kneeling position.

'LET. ME. OUT.' He commanded the force.

Immediately the temple began to melt into mist and drift away like sand in a storm, Cal felt the floor shift under him as he was shunted back into his body. Cal's eyes snapped open when he felt Dantooine's breeze caress his face and turned to see Merrin on her hands and knees, tears streaming from her eyes and whimpering 'no's' over and over. BD-1 was beeping and jabbing her repeatedly with his leg (not the one with the scomp-link) but she wasn't responding. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her, trying to rouse her but whatever vision she was in had her completely lost. BD-1 hopped onto his shoulder, watching worriedly.

"Merrin! Wake up!" He yelled, shaking her again, "Dammit Merrin it's not real! Whatever happening isn't real!"

Merrin didn't show any sign she had heard him.

With a bracing inhale he closed his eyes and reached for the force and place his forehead against her's.

The darkness swallowed him immediately as he followed her presence.

* * *

Merrin didn't know how long the noises battered her as she wanted to stop it, it could have been seconds it could have been years of being trapped in a personal hell.

She didn't want to think about it.

She didn't want to think about the past anymore.

She hated herself for what she taught Malicos.

She hated the galaxy for leaving her the last of the nightsisters.

She hated the fact that Cal could've died because of her.

She hated the dreams that plagued her if she had been unable to save Cal and Cere from drowning on Nur.

She hated the fact that somewhere deep inside her, she herself was drowning in the fear of the new family she had to abandon her like her previous family did.

And suddenly she felt two hands grip firmly her shoulders, she looked up in fear to see a new phantom only to see Cal staring at her, mouth tilted into a frown at the noise around them. Her fear and anger evaporated like dew under a blazing sun as she felt through the force that this was really him. He closed his eyes and focused on drawing the force to him; light emanated from him like a beacon, pushing the darkness around them away. He took a deep breath and his face smoothed into a smile and squeezed her shoulders gently.

"Merrin." He said, opening his eyes, "I'm here."

She threw her arms around him like the time after he woke up after Nur, desperate to see him alive. He didn't flinch at her touch and hugged her back, gently folding his arms around her trembling form as she drank in his presence. The noise abated from the two and the chanting began to recede in volume and clarity the longer she held on. Merrin buried her face in his shoulder and he cupped the back of her head, stroking her like a child needing comfort. Merrin's tears redoubled as she hadn't felt such care since her childhood with her sisters, and she desperately missed it. The comforting light that Cal brought from his presence shined brighter and noise became a quiet buzz and the voices became near-inaudible murmurs.

Merrin pulled away and wiped at her eyes, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Cal replied, "What happened?"

She turned to look away, "I saw Malicos."

Cal expression turned dark at the mention of the fallen jedi, "What did he do?"

"He taunted me about what I had done, what I was, everything that I fear." She replied quietly, unable to look at Cal's face, "When he attacked, I couldn't beat him. I know he wasn't real but it was all too much."

Cal nodded, understanding completely since his vision on Dathomir, "That's okay. It can be too much at times."

Merrin pressed her face against Cal's chest, "I failed."

"So what?" Cal replied, "I failed. I failed so many times. But do you know what the trick is when it comes to failing?"

Merrin shook her head, "What?"

Cal smiled as he remembered his master's words, "Getting back up and trying again. To simply do better the next time. Then, you'll succeed."

"I don't know if I can do it." Merrin admitted softly.

"Then how about we do it together?" Cal offered, taking Merrin's hand and pulling her to her feet, "If you can't let go of the past alone, then I'll help you let go. Merrin, you're not alone. I'm here. Cere's here. Greeze. BD-1. Even Xavier. We've got you Merrin, we won't let you down. All of you gave me the courage to return to the enclave after seeing that fallen shadow of myself. Now let me do the same for you."

Merrin took a deep breath, "Okay."

"Close your eyes, and hold on. Don't let go alright?" Cal said as he took her other hand in his.

She nodded and closed her eyes, "I won't."


	10. Chapter 10

**Guest: I am aware of the crystal purification, and the general method behind it, but does Cal or Cere? Cal was scrapping on Bracca for years and Cere actively denied the force for years and it wasn't like Nur was going to hand out classes on the subject while torturing her. Besides, do you think the inquisitors would know that skill in any capacity and candidly talk about it around her? The concept for a red lightsaber is bleeding, so theoretically it could be healed, but seeing as they don't need to, they probably won't think about that too hard. Ashoka separated from the Jedi for a vey long time, and we have no idea what she picked up on her travels.**

**And as for Cal having a cyan lightsaber? Well it was honestly the closest I could get to white, and in this fic, it fits Cal's views on the Jedi. He is much more open in his beliefs and not bound to the dogma and restrictions of the Jedi anymore. He intends to rebuild AN order, but not THE order.**

**All credit to respective owners.**

**-Y.A.R.N.**

* * *

Waking from the vision wasn't like waking up from sleep, it lacked the rested feeling and warmth one would get from covering up in blankets. It was like trying to swim to the surface of a lake made entirely of mud, thick and choking and so incredibly heavy. Merrin peeled her eyes open to see her face centimeters from Cal's whose eyes drifted open, himself rousing from the vision they briefly shared. Their eyes met as their foreheads were still touching and for a moment they just remained in that position, staring into each other's eyes.

"Thank you." Merrin whispered.

"I promise to always be there if you need me Merrin." He replied softly, "Always."

Despite the lingering pain, she smiled.

* * *

Cere looked pained at Merrin's recollection of her vision, Cal frowning at the memory of his fallen other. Merrin had been too shaken to try again and Cal took her back to the Mantis so that she could distance herself from the place where the visions assaulted her.

"So we all have to face our demons when we meditate there?" Cere sighed heavily, "Only then can we train with those Masters?"

Xavier stared at the saber hilt in his hand with a complicated expression as they all mulled over the visions triggered by the temple.

He knew what he would see.

He knew who he would have to face if he went to the temple.

X-1.

Falon.

His brother and 'father'.

His two greatest feelings of grief and guilt.

He had never considered fighting since his newest friends landed on Dantooine. He had worked so hard to forget only for the jedi to come and remind him of the family he held close as a soldier and fighting alongside those he could trust. He relished the feeling, but at the same time he had never wanted to talk about his past till he was ready. And he felt he needed a bit more time till those skeletons were ready to be faced. Yes, he had talked about them and he knew Cal read his life with his psychometry, but he hadn't really faced them head on as he knew the temple would make him.

Cere knew her faults with Trilla and her own failures, but she had already made her peace with her issues. Seeing them again would not discourage her or question her beliefs, but that only made her wonder what the temple might show her. She missed Trilla, she always would, but teaching Cal had helped ease away the pain of he loss and Trilla had relented in the very end before Vader struck her down. If nothing else, the temple would force her to face the fears she still had but may not have even realized, which had the potential to be a very valuable learning experience.

Still, no one wanted their biggest regrets shoved in their face.

* * *

Cal looked at Merrin who was sitting on the ground, blankly staring at the setting sun, lost in thought.

"Merrin." He said softly.

She jerked a bit in suprise, but turned, "Yes?"

"You really need to stop thinking about it." He said without preamble, "Dwelling on it won't help, it'll probably only make it worse."

She frowned, "It's... not easy."

Cal walked forward and sat next to her, "I know. I carried pain and guilt for so long. I was just like you. And even now, there are times I wish I could've done better."

Merrin was silent for a moment, "But?"

Cal smiled softly, "I can't go back. I can't turn back time and save those who I lost. All I can do is honor them by making it through everyday and living my life the best I can. It's hard to let it go, and it hurts in its own way. But the pain? It's a good pain, letting you know you're still alive and have a chance to be better than you were for your loss."

Merrin leaned against him, "I'm don't know if I can... I'm scared of just how much I disgraced the memory of my sisters because of Malicos. I don't know if I am strong enough that I can ever let go."

Cal leaned back, "You've already done it. And you are one of the strongest people I know, Merrin. Everybody believes in you. All you have to do is do the same."

Merrin was quiet and Cal contently watched the sun slip below the horizon and night unveil the star before she replied, "Okay."

* * *

A month passes in relative flurry of preparations for their band of misfits to visit the temple so they can face their fears. Cal continues his training with the spirits of the jedi who have long since passed, but makes time for learning how to fight with Cere, Merrin, and Xavier. The first few coordinated attempts are less than perfect — barring Cere and Cal as they had a whole year to figure out their styles and work around them and with them — as The Force is the only thing that is saving them from smacking into each other and nearly lopping off each other's limbs. But after the fumbling first few exchanges, they managed to settle into a rhythm that worked, it would take some time — and probably more bumps and bruises — before they would actually make it a formidable threat, but time was something they had a decent amount of.

Cal had managed to grasp the technique of healing provided as he needed to stop moving for a moment and settled into a mediative stance before starting to heal himself, now he had to refine it to a sort of moving meditation. It wasn't as though it were impossible, Cal knew that much of the abilities — practically any and all of the advanced levels — the force could bestow had been largely unknown to him as he was a thirteen year old padawan on a ship in the middle-end of a war that all but wiped out the jedi. Having a teacher again did make things much easier as he was led through the teaching and didn't have to improvise how to do it. He had the ability to be a master one day — everyone recruited by the jedi had that potential — so all he really needed to do is reach that level by training.

With that decision now firm, he goes back to meditating and feeling the force croon in contentment.

* * *

Cal is watching Merrin and Xavier pair up against Cere as he contemplates reforming the Jedi Order, which he had next to zero idea how to do except for a few generalized ideas. It wasn't easy, and while he knew he had help to ask for, he wanted to get at least a foundation built before anything else.

The problems were pretty simple.

They were arrogant.

They considered themselves above reproach.

They fought in a sham war dedicated to weaken and vilify them before the Emperor killed practically all of them.

They never even considered the fact that the Sith existed even with all the records of Jedi who left or fell to the dark side while training to be or having become Jedi.

Wonderful.

How to fix that?

They had every right to feel secure in their power as the Jedi stayed in power since the 'annihilation' of the Sith (Fallen Jedi notwithstanding). Cal was never going to be that arrogant as long as he was alive, but he wouldn't live forever and his mantle would have to pass. He wouldn't be able to stop the damage if — and that was a big if, not when — they beat the Sith down and the past was perpetuated without him. If he ever had an apprentice, how would he impress the NEED to be vigilant and keep abreast of the galaxy around them and how best adapt. Cal had the 'benefit' of living through the rise of The Empire in the wake of the decimation of the Jedi and the reformatting of The Republic. Many of the jedi in the war had been too preoccupied in fighting and leading troops to see how the war itself had changed how they were perceived.

With the Empire currently existing and in power with its oppression, the next generation of Jedi — provided that they were created reasonably soon — would be able to see how a corrupt governing body of one person would be bad. But to be involved in politics? That had been something that had led to the belief that the Jedi were attempting to take power for themselves. He didn't believe much in the idea of entangling Jedi with political affairs, Jedi were peacekeepers and diplomates, the last thing he wanted was to be seen as attack dogs of the government. That would make them no better than The Empire.

Cal groaned in frustration, these issues were not his forte!

He could train a padawan in saber play and force abilities, but dealing in politics with people in a theoretical government than hopefully be established after the not-of-yet realized defeat of the Empire? He wasn't some well-spoken diplomat or disgruntled ex-senator! He wasn't even a normally-recognized jedi knight (as in there was no ceremony to cut a braid of hair and for a number of Jedi to surround him as his master knighted him with a lightsaber). By the force, he wasn't some charismatic leader like Saw or some brilliant and caring public senator like Padme Amidala or Bail Organa had been before the Empire came to power.

Cal wanted to put it off for now, maybe after he was a bit wiser he could look into something, but honestly he wasn't about to go into politics if he had his way about it. Building the Jedi and stopping the Sith would already take everything he had! He knew that in the future, that he would somehow need to prevent the Sith from ever happening again. But how? The jedi thought that they had accomplished it, and their mistake cost them everything.

There had to be some middle ground, Cal knew he was toeing the line every time he thought about the dark side, he knew could provide him power, but power wasn't what he wanted. It would be useful sure, but he didn't want to replace one dictator of the universe with another one who was younger. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe that he was the only one who was capable of mastering his darkness, he could so easily be like Malicos (and the thought of that happening made his stomach turn). Could he be in balance with both, understanding the darkness while remaining in the light?

Wait.

Balance.

Maybe...

Maybe it wasn't about just the Jedi.

Maybe it wasn't about just the Sith.

Maybe it was simply about the force, not the light and dark.

Maybe...

Maybe it could be both yet neither.

Cal blinks and wonders if the the force humming loudly around him is a sign.

* * *

Merrin grasp on Cal's hand may have been a bit uncomfortable for the knight with how tightly she held on, but she couldn't bring herself to care beyond the fact that he was beside her side when she felt the stale air of Dathomir once again brush against her skin. This had happened before but she had been alone and now she wasn't and the difference was incomparable now that she knew who was waiting. She had done this before, but that hadn't been a mental battle, it was mainly Cal against Malicos while she supported where she could. Here, she had to be the main focus of her demons and doubts while Cal supported her. She let out a shaky breath but felt Cal pull her to her feet and squeeze her hand. She looked at him and he nodded at her.

"I'm here and I am not leaving." He promised, voice calm and even, "I trust you to be able to do this."

"Perhaps you shouldn't Kestis." Malicos' voice called, "Sister Merrin will stab you in the back to save herself."

Cal turned to see the specter of Malicos walking towards them, idly spinning his lightsaber hilts as he approached. He smirked arrogantly at the two as he spun his weapons before igniting them, their red blades casting red and black shadows up his face and body. Cal firmly squeezed Merrin's hand before igniting his saber and setting himself into his stance, cyan blazing. Merrin took a deep breath — centering herself as Cere showed — and ignited her own lightsaber, twirling it once before getting in her stance. Malicos looked unimpressed at the two before getting into his own stance.

"This won't play out like last time." Malicos challenged.

"You're right." Cal replied, voice cold and sharp "This time I'm going to kick your ass and make sure you pay for all the lies you told Merrin. You're going to pay for every single second you took advantage of her grief and pain."

"Neither of you could have hoped beat me alone." He replied arrogantly, "DO you think that you can now that I know what to expect?"

Merrin took a step forward, eyes blazing with determination, "You are blind Malicos, I am not alone Malicos. Cal isn't alone. Maybe I am the last of the nightsisters as he is one of the last of the jedi, but if you face one of us you face us all. I had forgotten that simple truth, but my sisters and now my friends will always be with me."

Malicos scoffed, "Brave words for someone who had very nearly lost herself to fear."

"I did." Merrin admitted, "I was scared of what I had buried and hid. The betrayal of our magics to you. My attempted murder of Cal. The years I spent in hate and grief. But when Cal came to Dathomir, it made me realize that waiting will not grant me peace, it won't help me come to terms with all that had plagued my nightmares. Action will. A family will."

She raised her lightsaber to point at Malicos chest.

"Killing your ghost and all that it represents will." She finished with a scowl.

Malicos scowled and lunged.

Cal was already there to meet him as Merrin dropped back, the force roiling them.

Their blades crashed in a flare of light and loud crackles as Malicos almost immediately disengaged and began to slash at Cal. Cal brow furrowed in concentration as he traded blows with the ghost, saber crashing against each other in streaks of cyan and crimson. He hadn't been the neophyte duelist he was back then, he had gotten much much stronger over the year and half he had been since Nur. He matched Malicos blow for blow, blade weaving to clash and disrupt Malicos' saber each and every time. Merrin hand gathered her magics and waited till Cal leaped away from his fight to lash out with a force push that sent Malicos skidding away to fire four simultaneous spheres of green flames at the ghost. He cried out in pain as the explosions of flame scorched him rather than wash off of him as before. Merrin dashed at him, saber a blaze of red as she slashed across his chest, decorating his torso with a line of scorch as he leapt back to avoid a killing blow.

Malicos scowled and hissed as his hand gingerly traced the burns on his body, "Don't be so arrogant witch, you can't defeat me so long as you're afraid. As long as you let your mistakes linger, so will I. You'll never be able to let go."

"Shut up." Merrin growled.

"You still aren't sure!" Malicos sneered, "You will neve-"

"I'm pretty sure Merrin told you to shut up." Cal interrupted as he walked up next to Merrin, lightsaber humming at his side, "You already talked enough when we beat you to last a lifetime Malicos. Merrin has darkness? So what? I do. Cere does. Xavier does. Every person in the galaxy has their own pain and darkness. But the answer isn't to ignore it or pretend to let it go; it's not to let it consume you so that you can revel in its seduction. It's to use it as a chance to improve, to face it and not let it dominate our life. My master died and it hurt, I hated myself because of it. But I finally confronted the darkness of my guilt back on Dathomir, and I beat it. In the enclave I found darkness again, and while I didn't beat it, I didn't let it discourage me either. Maybe if you had learned that before landing on Dathomir, you might've been able to call yourself a jedi when I found you."

Malicos scowled, "You have no right to lecture me boy."

"I prefer the term Jedi Knight Kestis." Cal replied, amusement clear, "You really should address your superiors more formally; isn't that right Sith?"

His mocking had the desired effect.

Malicos slashed wildly at Cal, abandoning his skill for strength. Cal knew the darkside would further fuel Malicos' power, but he would start to loosen his form. Cal used his blade to interfere with several strikes while weaving around the rest before he slashed at Malicos. His lightsaber sliced into the shade's stomach and Malicos cried out in pain before leaping away, a dark line of sizzling flesh decorating his abdomen. He neglected to account for Merrin, who shot out a burst of green fire which blasted the shade farther away, adding to his pain. Malicos twisted in the air to land on his feet and — the dark side flaring around the shade — raised both of his hands above his head.

Several boulders ripping themselves free of the ground in accordance with the shade's manipulation of the force.

Malicos roared his anger and lowered his hands, boulders diving towards the two jedi from the air as he directed the force. Merrin formed flames in her free hand as Cal lifted his hands, both of them readying themselves against the barrage. He hurled the rocks at them, each one an attempt to kill them. Merrin fired spheres of magic as Cal lashed out of the force, the rocks crumbling into dust under the combined assault of the two working in unison. Cal didn't try to tear the rocks out of Malicos' grasp, it would only waste energy needlessly in grappling over control with the fallen shade. Cal lifted his hand and lashed out, destroying them with a lance of the force was a much more efficient and useful move.

But Cal was suddenly blinded by a wave of dust that came out of absolutely nowhere.

Malicos grinned as he leapt past Cal to engage Merrin, who brought her lightsaber up to block one of Malicos' lightsaber before twisting out of the way of a swipe with his second.

Cal made to rush Malicos when the force whirled and a storm of rust-colored clouds stopped him cold before blasting him off his feet and to land a few feet away. He was about to use the force to rip though the smoke when the force whispered to him that this must be done by Merrin herself. This battle is one that she need to do with her own presence, she needed to move past her fear as Cal had. Cal gritted his teeth, Merrin wasn't skilled enough to take Malicos in lightsaber combat alone, that was the whole reason he was helping her in this fight! He scowled before his face smoothed over and he dropped into a kneeling position, closing his eyes and manipulating the force to surge around him.

Maybe he couldn't help her by fighting alongside her in the vision, but he was going to help her one way or another.

'Merrin.' He whispered through the force, tracing the connection and his own feelings towards the night-sister, 'If you need power, take mine.'

And he channeled the force as he poured it through their connection, adapting the way he used the force to bolster his healing and instead enhancing Merrin's strength.

'Kick his ass Merrin.'


	11. Chapter 11

**Zack24,**

**I appreciate the reviews, but I simply couldn't get the youtube ones to work though the FF link was workable. FF is really tight on links (Why? I do not know). As for the concept of the FF story, it's interesting.**

**GoldManCharm,**

**I have seen certain sources that claim crystals do change color, however it was only done when crystals were fabricated (such as Luke's in ROTJ) or healed from the bleeding (Like Ashoka's later sabers). However with the canonicity of Revan and how the caves were portrayed in the games, I was using that as my source.**

**Guest13,**

**As much as Vrook would be an excellent addition, he was so utterly destroyed by Kreia that I don't even think his spirit survived. If you examine his corpse it said his very corpse was a wound in the force, I don't think it was possible to survive that, even as a ghost.**

**P.S. All credit to respective owners!**

**-Y.A.R.N.**

* * *

Merrin nearly panicked as once again a storm of dusty clouds blocked the world around her and Malicos from the rest of the tomb. Even more importantly, it also prevented Cal from helping her; she didn't want to have to go through this again. She drew herself into her stance and took a calming breath, she didn't want to fall again.

'Focus.' She reminded herself, trying to still the rapid beating of her heart.

She didn't want to lose when Cal had already helped her come this far.

'Merrin.' Cal's voice suddenly whispered in her head, 'If you need power, take mine.'

Suddenly a wave of light and power poured into her, and she couldn't help the smile as the essence of Cal colored the Force as it empowered her. She closed her eyes for a moment and simply felt Cal's strength and emotion pour into her, letting her worries wash away. She ran the force in conjunction into her magic and her eyes opened — burning green and glowing — as Malicos snorted. His presence in the force blazed with derision and amusement, no doubt unimpressed with the sight.

"Intimidation tactics?" He scoffed, "Alone and suddenly you resort to petty tricks? Then again, I didn't expect any better."

Merrin's eyes narrowed, "No tricks. I am simply remembering why I left Dathomir. Why I chose to study the ways of the Force from my new family. I am remembering why you don't have a place in my life as anything other than a bad memory, and even then it's too generous."

Malicos frowned.

She deactivated her lightsaber and glared at the shade, she only needed one thing in order to destroy Malicos, and it wasn't a lightsaber, "You are a parasite Malicos. A weak man who was not worthy of the title of jedi or of my magics, Cal is right. You were weak. Weaker than him, weaker than me, and weaker than almost every single person I've met."

Malicos scowled and advanced, "Enough!"

This wasn't a battle she had to win by killing Malicos.

He wasn't real.

Just the representation of all her regrets and doubts.

Like Cal said, she couldn't change what she had done, all she could and would do is move forward.

So it was high time she lay her demons to rest.

Merrin drew back her hands and felt Cal's energy surround her before lashing out in tune with her green flames. Malicos raised his lightsabers in a guard as the wave of power slammed into him, causing him to stagger back from the force. He grunted as his lightsabers flashed and crackled as they caught the flames where they crossed. Cal's presence seemed to surge in time with her attack as he poured everything into augmenting her powers. Merrin's fire flashed and spiked in intensity as burns began to appear on Malicos' chest despite his guard and his feet slid back.

'Kick his ass Merrin.' She heard, making her smile.

"Begone." She commanded.

"No!" Malicos shouted as his form began to burn, "You can't! You don't have the power! You are too weak!"

"Perhaps I am weak." Merrin allowed, voice impersonal, "Perhaps as of now I don't have the power to cast you out on my own."

Malicos scowled as his skin blackened and his hair began to curl in the heat, hate glinting in his eyes.

"But WE are more than strong enough to force you out Malicos." Merrin growled, "I am not afraid of you anymore, I don't need my hate or fear of you to cloud my future."

Malicos opened his mouth to scream and Merrin's flames fully engulfed him.

"I will be a jedi, and as I protect my family, they stand with me."

* * *

Cal brow was furrowed in concentration as he pushed as much strength as he could toward Merrin. He smiled when he felt her calm down and grinned when he ran his power in tandem with her as she attacked. He could only grin as he felt Merrin's determination and laughed as she cast out Malicos' ghost from her for good. They was a flash of green fire that pierced the swirling dust that was keeping him from directly aiding Merrin. The clouds parted around him and he saw Merrin, hands trailing green fire and poised as though she just let out a force push. He got to his feet and grinned at her, and she turned to face him with a smile.

"You did it?" He asked.

"He's gone." She replied softly.

Cal put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze, "I knew you would Merrin."

* * *

Cal's hand rested against the thin wall of the rock that Vandar had raised as his next obstacle and training tool; he frowned as cracks barely extended from where his palm rested. While he hadn't perfected his force-healing while moving (only managing minor damage at his best), Vandar had deemed his abilities as 'acceptable for a good foundation' and moved him to the next force ability. Vandar stressed that moving meditation and healing would come in time provided he kept up on his training (something Cal intended to do as much as possible). Either way, Cal was now working on using shatterpoint or force breach, which admittedly Cal didn't get why he was learning, he could already knock doors down and rip droids apart with a force push, why learn this skill at all?

"Invaluable, precision is." Vandar spoke, cutting off Cal's internal monologue, "Not an invalid tactic, smashing aside your opposition is. However a subtler use of the force, shatterpoint carries. Important it is, to find the flaws in any obstacle or opponent to exploit. To see an object's composition, many a force user ignores in favor of utter destruction. To see the lattice of an individual's weakness, one of the most powerful abilities is shatterpoint's use. To see the fractals of a person's impact on the galaxy, natural talent and intense focus is needed."

Cal stared at Vandar his head in surprise. That made sense, powerful as a force push could be, it was not exactly quiet. Shatterpoint was probably less inclined towards a explosive entrance and more geared towards infiltration. Hacking through a object with a lightsaber was a telltale sign of (generally speaking) a jedi in the vicinity, if a door or armor failed because of faulty composition? Sneaking would become so much easier. As for sensing people's weaknesses and then using the force to reopen the damage, that seemed a bit more violent than Cal was really comfortable with.

"Careful, you must be!" Vandar said sharply, "Correctly understand the nature of a shatterpoint easy is not! Even if mastered, a practitioner of the ability wary, one must remain! To torture, the point of this ability is not!"

Cal nodded frantically, he knew that Vandar was not going to be happy if Cal just assumed to understand the nature of this application of this ability from the beginning or used it on all of his opponents. Even so, it was difficult to correctly apply the force in a physical way on an inanimate object, he half-wished he could test it out on something living, but ripping open a wound on some innocent creature was not something Cal was willing to do. Cal had placed his hand on what he perceived to be the biggest weak-point in the slab of rock, but either the rock flew away from a force push or cracked alongside several invisible fault-lines, but it hadn't crumbled like it should have. Vandar instructed him to pour the force into the imperfections and then make it explode, but the finesse to pick out those points was difficult to fully grasp.

Cal sighed, "I still have a long way to go..."

* * *

Another month passed as Cal and Merrin both grew as they fell into a comfortable routine of traveling to the temple in order to grow stronger and coming back to help Xavier while he still felt uneasy about going to the temple. Cere had been honing his shii-cho and shien skills while he struggled with his inner demons as no one wanted to push him into training with the masters if he wasn't ready. With Merrin having banished the shame of Malicos and ready to learn, she had begun sparring with Cal in the visions they now shared while under the watchful eyes of the Zhar and Vandar. Cal was strengthening his saber skills and refining his force abilities while Merrin still had a preference for her magic over physical combat, she hadn't been lagging behind at all in her own saber play.

But great as all that was, it wasn't all smooth flying.

Shatterpoint was frustrating Cal to no end as he honestly just wanted to smash the the damn rocks rather than crumble them. What was he missing? Vandar had tried to help him with only hints here and there in case he had to learn on his own; if he needed to bug out from Dantooine he would be left to his own devices so he wanted the basics down before he expanded on them. He placed his hand onto the slab and poured the force into it frustration guiding the intent. Suddenly, a burst of clarity hit Cal as he felt a fissure deep in the rock's core, the force flowing like a river as it began to spread through the fissure to every edge of the slab of stone.

Hairline fractures exploded across the rock with a rumbling crackle as it went still for a moment before collapsing into a pile of dust.

Cal stared at the dust and then at his hand.

"Seriously?" He bemoaned, "I only figure out how it works when I am literally at wit's end?"

Zhar sounded like he was choking back laughter at Cal's disgruntled face.

* * *

After Cal practiced the physical application till he managed it to at least a sixty to eighty percent chance of wholly shattering the rock walls, Vandar had him work on force sight. Which — surprisingly in Cal's humble opinion — came very easily; all it really entailed was focusing the force to 'see' if you couldn't use your eyes. It was practically the same as seeing aside from the fact that everything was in black, grey, or white except for the people around him. Merrin was a vibrant green whose edges flickered like fire, Zhar and Vandar's were pale blue supernovas of the force that pulsed in and out of focus like they were fading in and out of reality.

However, the whole reason why he was learning it wasn't quite as flattering.

Apparently Cal just wasn't in tune with shatterpoint to look and see the importance of people and what they could be — he did remarkably well in the physical applications of the force but subtitles were just not his thing — so this was a way to mitigate that shortcoming in his abilities. In the force, it was capable to pick up the 'hue' (per se) of a person, and then by experience, you might see where their allegiance and alignment really fell. A useful trick to root out traitors and a nearly lost art as the jedi almost completely forgone the actual utility of the ability after a millennia of being in power. In the days of the old republic, a group of aliens known as the Miraluka had the innate ability in the force to use this ability to see as a subsitute to having lost their eyes.

It was one of the most basic, but also one of the most useful. Jedi allowed the force to guide their movements, was sight really so different? It also worked as a way to spot someone who was shrouded in the force or by way of a stealth-field generator, dead useful in order to not be caught off guard.

But there was a problem in the training that had nothing to do with talent.

Merrin was a nightsister.

The only real problem was what should she do in regards to her magic, Cal had no idea how far along in her skills she was. Admittedly reanimating an army of zombies was frankly incredible, but was that the limit? Was she a master? Was she intermediate? Was she a novice? Cal didn't know if he had the tact to comfortably broach the subject without hurting or offending Merrin about the loss of her old family. The masters they trained with explained the flames Merrin used were a variation of pyrokenisis. While it was an ability that was possible for a jedi to use, the nightsisters had mastered and then created a variant that the jedi could not help with. So it was like she was trying to learn a language with an alphabet book after writing and speaking in another way for all her life.

Cal opened his eyes and let out a sigh.

So so so much to do...

* * *

Cal was about to leave when master Zhar stopped him and asked him to stay for a moment.

"Yes master?" Cal replied, "What is it?"

"We believe that the time has come that you should leave Dantooine." Zhar said.

Cal paled and went hunter still as his heart pounded, was their time up? Had they been located by Vader and other inquisitors? He needed to warn his friends immediately, they needed to warn Xavier that if he stayed they would kill him!

"How much time do we have?" He demanded, already planning the quickest and least noticable way to escape the planet.

"Calm yourself, you remain safe and unnoticed by the Sith. This isn't a matter of your safety or you allies in danger. This pertains to your intentions regarding the rebuilding of our order and what you intend to teach. Your beliefs about the Jedi could be considered blasphemous to traditional values of the order." Zhar replied, voice calm and even, "While we realize the folly of our mistakes — our arrogance and our dogma — we were in no position to affect a change till you came here. We may disapprove, but in the order decimation, we realized that our superiority was what led the Jedi blind to the threat. The Sith remade themselves to become stronger while the Jedi remained stagnant, however a traditionalist will not agree to your methods or ideas."

"And lives, such a jedi master does." Vandar said, "Believe it beneficial we would, to you see how Shaak Ti has turned a planet into a resistance outpost."

"Felucia." Zhar said simply, "We believe you should travel to Felucia."

Cal's mouth dropped open, a wild burst of hope and joy surging within him, "Master Shaak Ti survived Order 66? She's created a hidden Jedi academy on Felucia?!"

Zhar frowned, "No. While she does have an apprentice, she has decided that Felucia is not appropriate for a temple. The force swirls with life enough to disrupt the senses of both Sith and Jedi looking for a trace fo her, but the indigenous wildlife is simply too dangerous for children. She has used her abilities to militarize the planet and arrange the native species into an army should the Empire find her. Perhaps you should inform your allies about your journey? I believe it would do them good to know that there are still those teaching and learning the jedi arts. Perhaps it would help you all won't feel as alone as before."

"But will she believe us?!" Cal sputtered.

"No. Not quite." Vandar replied.

Some of Cal's exhilaration ebbed at hearing that, but wild excitement still bubbled within him at the thought of a Jedi Master alive. He wanted to tell everyone, but closed his eyes and calmed himself down a bit. He knew that he was intending to teach absolute heresy to a new generation of Jedi when it was safe. If other Jedi survived, no doubt they would disagree and maybe even hunt him down if they were truly fanatical to the old way the jedi had been. Either way, discussing his ideas with a remaining Jedi of the order would help him in any possible negotiation with any other Jedi he might meet. He also needed to make sure that some of the jedi survived if something bad happened while he was going to Felucia.

"I shouldn't take the Mantis..." Cal mused, "And I think three of us should stay back, Greeze wouldn't willingly part with the Mantis to fly another ship if he has his way. We still have that bounty hunter's ship, and we can stock it with supplies..."

Zhar closed his eyes and inclined his head in agreement, "That is a smart decision... Take one of your companions, two if you really deem it necessary, but it is a good that you leave a contingency plan should something go awry."

Cal bowed, "Thank you Master."

"One last thing." Zhar said, "The student is a female zabrak who is very... dark, not yet a sith but very unstable."

* * *

Stunned silence met Cal's declaration as he relayed what Master Zhar had told him.

"Master Shaak Ti is alive?!" Cere demanded, "And she's on Felucia?!"

Cal nodded, "She hasn't made an academy or something to rebuild the order, but she militarized the planet as much as she can. The only thing the masters wanted me to do is contact her and see what she thinks of how I am going restructure the order."

Cere steepled he fingers and gave Cal a very long look, "Cal, I don't think she'll agree with what you want to do. Shaak Ti — for all her wisdom and ability — is one of the most rigid followers of the jedi's traditions. Besides we don't even have a concrete plan of how we are going to teach the new generation or what our future goals are."

Cal scrubbed a hand through his hair, "I know, but we need to start somewhere even if it's just a reference point. Even if she doesn't agree, maybe she'll be willing to give pointers and ideas on what to do or where to begin. I know that the beginning must start with physical preparation and meld slowly with force training, but it's not like making an academy is feasible yet. While the Empire is active, any jedi academy on any planet is just a beacon for our enemies to hit us."

"Who are you taking with you?" Merrin inquired.

She had been quiet but interested when Cal mentioned Shaak Ti's student. Cal had not wanted to get Merrin's hopes up since the female zabrak was most definitely not a night-sister, but Merrin seemed to not care in the slightest. She was hoping meeting at least someone like her who knew what she was going through was enough to make her want to go. The only thing holding her back was Zhar's warning about the student's stability in the light. Merrin never wanted to meet another sith, inquisitor or fallen jedi. At the same time, Xavier knew about the campaign on Felucia and wanted to go as he had the most experience in what to expect in regards to any potential threats that were there. Either way, Cal didn't know who to pick.

But he did need to do one thing.

"Before we go," He replied, "we cannot go with any signs we are hostile. You are not going to go carrying red lightsabers. It's a bit early, but I think we should visit the caves. You both need lightsaber crystals and frankly I can't imagine Shaak Ti looking past the lightsabers to hear us out if we get there..."


	12. He's gone

My dog was sick, and he was old.

He wasn't able to fight the sickness off.

He's gone, and all I can do is write so that I can't forget when he left me.


	13. Chapter 13

**This is roughly two years or so after the events of Fallen Order. Galen is still being trained by Vader before being deployed to murder jedi, his story is about two and a half years before the Battle of Yavin. Serious gap of time before Force Unleashed and A New Hope starts.**

**As for Cal thinking he has to start the order alone? He doesn't. He fully expects help, the problem he has is that he wants concrete idea of what role the jedi will have before even trying to start. His visions on Bogano made him realize that hiding any budding enclave in the force is the only feasible way to build an enclave at all. Bogano was located and put under siege which led to his fall and torture of his students. Dantooine is convenient due to the destruction of the old temple that overshadows his presence, but he knows it won't last. Also, he wants to make sure the jedi this time are capable of adjusting and evolution after he passes away.**

**Actually, Shatterpoint is a technique that is teachable, but you need to have an affinity for it from the start or you can only use the very basic of abilities. Mace Windu saw people connections and the importance of people of fault lines of possibilities in the novelization of Revenge of The Sith due to his natural affinity with Shatterpoint. Luke — in legends — used Shatterpoint, but only to destroy droids as he wasn't a natural with that.**

**All credit to respective owners, blah, blah, blah.**

**-Y.A.R.N.**

* * *

The kinrath seemed just as eager to attack as before; ever since the trio heading into the caves set foot in the tunnels. The anger they struck with was even more outraged; much more so after Cal lifted a kinrath with the force and applied Shatterpoint to the squealing bug. Two invaders in their home wasn't appreciated, three much less so. It had almost stabbed Merrin before Cal caught it and used the force on the unfortunate creature) which detonated in a burst of gore and chitin). Merrin face twisted in annoyance and Xavier grumbled as waves of kinrath assaulted the group. BD-1 beeped nervously as the bugs had seemed just as endless as the time Cal and Cere had traversed the caves to get Cere's crystal.

It didn't help that Merrin and Xavier weren't quite at Cere's level when it came to lightsaber combat, Merrin did manage to make up for the difference in her skills by bathing any groups of the bugs in her flames, but Xavier hesitated in using the force due to the past regarding force-users, preferring to strike them down if they came too close. Even with those pros and cons affecting the group, when the Kinrath had finally backed off Cal, Merrin, and Xavier were tired and dirty. Cal deactivated his lightsaber and let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, stretching out with the force to make sure there were no more surprises. Merrin did the same and even Xavier did the same (for all his instinctual hesitance he still wanted to be able to use the force if needed).

"I think we're in the clear." Xavier mumbled.

"Good. If I ever see another kinrath again, it'll be too soon." Cal groaned.

Merrin lips twitched in amusement at Cal's expression, though she agreed as well with the both of them. The threesome finally made it to the end of the cave and the crystals glimmered with the same glow as the first time Cal had seen it. He carefully walked around the cavern, his lightsaber held in a loose grip in his hand as he surveyed the crystals and used the force to smash the eggs around the crystals and lift the crystals in them. Without laying a hand on them, Cal harvested the crystals before placing them in cases so they wouldn't melt in his hands. Since the khyber crystals weren't his, he didn't want to touch them or they might melt away and it wasn't like he had a surplus of the rare item. Dantooine's crystals were plentiful at them moment but mining them till there were none left was a bad idea as it had probably taken years to grow to this level. Cal wasn't intending to change any of the crystals he had in his lightsaber — they were his and resonated with him perfectly — but harvesting some crystals for the future was something the force whispered he should do.

"Find a crystal that calls to you." Cal said calmly, "I'll guard you while you look, don't rush on my account, take your time to find the one that resonates."

Merrin nodded and closed her eyes, kneeling on the floor while Xavier swallowed nervously and settled himself on the floor as well. Cal closed his eyes and stood still sensing for any incoming danger while Merrin and Xavier meditated. The first one to stand was Xavier, who eyes closed, slowly meandered over to a glowing group of yellow crystals, kneeling before them before carefully plucking one out of the cluster that shimmered in his palm. He opened his eyes and gently closed his hand over the crystal with a odd smile, a previously unknown and unrecognized line of tension slipping out of his shoulders.

Merrin however frowned, she didn't feel any whisper of a call from any of the numerous crystals that surrounded her no matter how deep she tried to meditate and listen. The entirety of the time was silent except for the faintest keening wail of the crystal that was in the hilt of Malicos' lightsaber. She sighed and unclipped the lightsaber at her waist to stare at it as though asking what it wanted. Xavier and Cal both watched as she abruptly stood up after re-holstering her saber, the night-sister turned to her companions and let out an sharp breath.

"None of these crystals are mine." She said quietly, "I don't feel anything from them at all. The only crystal I can hear is the one in my lightsaber."

Cal didn't really know what to make of that proclamation from Merrin. He knew that on Illum, there was said to be a crystal for every jedi, but he didn't know if the order had known about the crystals on Dantooine. And if they had known about the crystals here why didn't the Emperor keep a guard on the planet since there was a law about the restrictions on lightsaber components and the crystal was probably the most important piece. Handling one that was real was the equivalent of a death sentence unless you were an inquisitor, a officer of the empire, or wealthy enough to pay off stormtroopers.

"Nothing?" Cal prompted.

Merrin shifted in discomfort as she absently placed a hand on her lightsaber, "The only one I can hear is crying in pain."

Cal frowned and ran a hand through his hair, "Then maybe we better ask what we can do for it."

* * *

Cere held Malicos' weapon in her hands and gently ran her hands over it as though it would reveal something new. In all honesty she had no idea how the sith obtained their lightsaber crystals and why they all used red crystals. The jedi hadn't exactly been forthcoming with that information since any and all aspects that dealt with the darkside were hidden and were only open to those who were jedi masters. And most masters were in the field with the clones when Order 66 happened and killed off most of the jedi. She sighed and handed the lightsaber back to Merrin, who raised an eyebrow in question.

"I don't know." Cere finally replied, "Red crystals are the choice crystals of the sith and while we know that much, we don't exactly know how or why they are red, as until very recently we had no idea they occurred naturally. But if anything, this lightsaber is crying out and only Merrin can hear it, then maybe it's meant for her."

"But it's red, and if Merrin going to accompany to Felucia —" Cal began.

"No." Merrin said, cutting him off, "I... I shouldn't be the one to go with you."

Cal turned to her eyes wide in surprise.

Merrin's shoulders hunched and she looked away in shame, "The Jedi and the Nightsisters had been at odds before. You may not know it, but several times my sisters clashed with jedi and their allies. To go there already having been trained by you and Cere would only invite problems as I... If Shaak Ti is as rigid as you say, you teaching me would only make her less receptive."

Cal face darkened and he walked over to Merrin and placed a hand on her shoulder before lightly cupping her chin to make her meet his eyes, "She doesn't get to make that decision for me. You said it before right? Survivors. We adapt. If she can't accept change, than I rather she stay on Felucia than try to force us to be the jedi of old. She may be a Jedi Master, but as a Jedi Knight I have my own path to follow. And if she says you are not to be a part of it, then I don't want to be a jedi to her."

Merrin blinked and she couldn't help the happiness and hope swelling in her chest at Cal's declaration.

Cere eyes darted between the two and she sighed at the force singing happily, even was quite obvious to probably anyone with a working pair of eyes.

* * *

Cal absently checked over the a blaster he found on Jek's ship and was attaching to BD-1 to help him have more combat effectiveness. While it was a bit of a surprise to see a droid compatible blaster set as well as a very impressive workstation without any astromech droids on the ship, Cal wasn't going to complain. He knew BD-1 was never gonna be a amazing combat droid, Cal knew that for a droid he had more than enough bravery to fight. Anyone who scored a blow on Darth Vader of all people in the entire galaxy was worthy of an insane amount of respect. Xavier checked the hull integrity and systems to see if there was anything that needed a tune up or adjustments. Cal's years on Bracca made him one of the best mechanics as Prauf used to tell Cal about all the systems and how things connected so there was less of a chance for Cal to be hurt while dismantling ships. They moved some supplies and Cal and Xavier made sure to make sure that they had a secure landing gear and shields.

In the end, they decided for Cal and Xavier to be the ones to go to Felucia rather than anyone else. Shaak Ti was never gonna take Cere seriously since she could probably sense the taint of the Dark Side and shame that shaded Cere's force presence. Merrin was right about the Shaak Ti not wanting to teach a nightsister in any capacity, no matter how desperate the situation. But Cal was a padawan (now a knight) who had survived the purge, and although Xavier was a clone, he was the clone of a Jedi. A Jedi who fought to save people before sacrificing himself to save his 'son'; leaving his 'son' as a legacy to go into the future. As an added bonus, Xavier had been coached by the Kaminoans in all the war that was going on, so having him on Felucia would only help as he would be a guide.

* * *

Merrin gently pulled the red crystal from the hilt she had partially pulled apart under Cal's watch and she held the red gem up to the light and frowned. Miffed as she was about Malicos' lightsaber crystal apparently her's as well, she didn't want to ignore anything to distance herself from her potential. With that in mind, Cal and Merrin knelt down at the temple for help on the crystal. Xavier took a deep breath and knelt as well, ready to begin his crucible to confront his regrets and past. Merrin went with the intention of finding a way to heal her as of yet damaged crystal. Cal went for one last lesson before his trip to Felucia, hoping that once he returned (whether or not Shaak Ti was on board with their idea for the future of the jedi) that he continue cultivating his skills. The force thrummed in a rising crescendo and each of them felt the force pull them away from their bodies to their individual tasks.

* * *

Merrin found herself in front of a person who was clad in black robes and wore a mask which had a visor in a line across and paint markings that like a 'T' on his mask. Merrin swallowed as she could feel the power radiating off the figure. He didn't react to the nightsister beyond inclining his head in a greeting. Merrin didn't know how to respond other than to nod in reply, gaining a small chuckle from the figure. Merrin slowly stood up, her hands still cupping the red crystal that was glimmering in her palm. The man gaze shifted to the crystal and he plucked it from her hand, holding it up to inspect it. Merrin didn't want to cross the figure as she knew he would kick her from the vision and probably never allow her to reach him for good measure.

He scoffed, "Utterly disgraceful. The Sith of this era are idiotic monsters."

Merrin drew back in surprise, "What?"

He looked at her, giving off a bemused look, "To bleed a khyber crystal to the point it turns red is nothing short of a lack of effort. They barely react to anyone and can be used by anyone without melting in their hands because now they hunger for violence and don't care. If you want a red crystal, look for it! I did! By the force, it's a wonder how they still active in the galaxy."

"Who are you?" Merrin asked.

His features were obscured by the mask but she felt the humor radiating from him, "A force-wielder."

Merrin bit back her annoyance at the perfectly obvious and unhelpful answer, "I had no idea."

He laughed out loud, "You've got a great sense of humor!"

She frowned at his flippant nature, "I came —"

"— to see if you can help this crystal stop crying." He finished, waving a hand as though it wasn't important, "Ah nightsister... When you are hurt or crying or bleeding, what do you do?"

Merrin floundered in confusion, "Stop crying and try to bandage myself? Use my magics to heal myself?"

"So if a crystal is bleeding, what should you do?" He said calmly.

"Bandage it? Use my magics on it?" She said, a bit confused.

"Close enough!" He said happily.

"But how do I do that?" She inquired.

The man's shoulders slumped, "Why are all the jedi and sith I meet always idiots? I swear even I was smarter as a padawan..."

"Hey!" Merrin grumbled, annoyed at the slight against her ability to figure this out, she had barely been training for a month and she wasn't even being taught about the jedi side of the force beyond the basics yet!

He sighed and took one of her hands to lift it and drop it in her palm before taking it over and making it cover the crystal. Merrin sensed the man's demeanor shift into something a bit more serious as he covered her hands.

"Close your eyes and listen." He instructed.

She did and heard the wails of the crystal.

"Many of the Sith used the anger and hate and pain to make crystals bleed and turn them red, a better focus for their skill as it reflects their feelings. I don't agree but that doesn't matter. The khyber crystals aren't just the focus for a lightsaber crystal, they live and are attuned to their wielders. So instead of pain, give the crystal peace. Instead of hate, give it love. Instead of anger, give it joy. There's no need to 'teach' how to heal, it's something as simple as running your power in the force in tune with someone else, except now you apply it to the crystal you want to heal. And as it heals, it will tune itself to its healer."

Merrin took a deep breath, trying to think of how best to infuse the crystal with the emotions.

"Try using memories that you associate with those feelings." He suggested.

She thought of her sisters when their clan was whole, how they leaned on each other and knew they'd have each other's support. Things were so simple and peaceful back then, there was no notion that she would lose her entire clan in a roar of sabers and blasters.

Then she thought of her relief and happiness at the prospect of a new family, even if not by blood or clan, that she may have a place to belong to. Each day had been a worry of them finally having enough of her on the ship until she realized that the niche she had carved out in the Mantis had never once seemed forced or unnatural.

Then she thought of Cal, the way he helped her; the way her stomach felt full of tingles in the brief and fleeting moments where their eyes would meet and their bodies brushed against each others'. The way her eyes would trace his body as it moved and way he would smile at her accomplishments that made her heart swell. How he was willing to go against a remaining Jedi Master if it meant he would stay with her and be a part of her life.

She let the emotions out and let them swell and grow, the crystal in her cupped hands began to vibrate and warm, the crying waning as the crystal began to softly and slowly sing.

"More." He said softly, "Let it all out."

The crystal shined even through her closed eyes and she opened her eyes as the man drew his hands away and she opened her cupped hands to see the crystal.

No longer an angry and blood red.

A soft magenta crystal now rested on her hand, humming with a song only she could hear.

The figure chuckled and he began to lose definition as he drifted away, silent as a breeze as he melted into the shadows of the room that seemed to rush to embrace him.

"Good job." He whispered as the room faded away

* * *

When Xavier opened his eyes, his heart plummeted at the sight of his brother glaring at him with accusing eyes. The open hangar where Falon had died and he had been so close to death that he had woken hours later to painfully create a pyre for his father. Bodies of stormtroopers and militia decorated the floor and the stench of blood and burnt flesh hung heavy in the air around him. After everything that had happened, he had no idea what to do and simply walked till he found a village and cast aside the life of a soldier. Coming back here to where his life had changed he felt all that panic and fear of death looming over him all over again.

"So the traitor has come at last." X-1 sneered, "Come to pay for your lack of loyalty?"

Xavier gritted his teeth and stood his body trembling, years of pent up anger bubbling up in outrage, "Traitor? A lack of loyalty? Yeah, killing innocent people was necessary? Who's the one who broke protocol to satiate his own bloodlust?"

X-1 barked a harsh laugh, "What, you think anyone cares about the inhabitants of this ass-end farm-world? You could've been given power and distinguished commendation if stayed with your real family, but you chose these stupid simple people instead?"

Xavier scowled, his hand going to his side, and stead of a blaster, his hand gripped the hilt of his recently recolored lightsaber.

X-1 vicious smile grew, "Oh? A lightsaber? Did this kath hound grow some teeth or is it a false bravado?"

"Shut up!" Xavier snapped, a bar of yellow plasma sprouting from his fist, "This time you don't have me feeling sorry for you!"

X-1 snapped out a hand and Falon's stolen lightsaber burst to life, humming, "Then attack if you think you can brother."

He charged and stabbed forward, X-1 swinging his blade up and blocking the blow in a shower of sparks and a loud crackle. They traded blows, X-1 and Xavier both trying to outmaneuver each other in the hangar where Falon had died. X-1 sliced at his brother with a feral glee, his stolen saber leaving streaks of light as he bore down on his brother. But Xavier wasn't letting himself get pushed to his limits in training for no reason and was able to match his brother blow for blow.

Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks as they crackled, both combatants leaning forward to force the other back.

They disengaged to backpedal and X-1 reached out to the side and made a grasping motion before swinging his arm forward. Xavier saw one of the bodies of the troops lift and be tossed at him as he raised a hand and waved it to the side, deflecting the body from slamming into him. In the brief moment where the body had obscured his vision, Xavier lost track of his brother and x-1 had vanished. Xavier looked around but couldn't see his brother anywhere and in any battle losing track of your opponent was a deadly mistake. Ghostly chuckles echoed through the chamber as X-1 used the darkness to cloak his form from his brother.

Xavier shook off his anxiety and closed his eyes, centering himself and grasping his weapon firmly in both hands as he raised it in front of him. The force whispered a warning and Xavier whirled, his blade crossing against X-1's just in time to block a stab straight into his chest that would have pierced his heart.

"Not bad brother!" X-1 sneered, loud enough to be heard over their crackling blades, "But you are afraid! I thought the Jedi — even if they are an insignificant and pale imitation such as yourself — were never afraid?"

Xavier scowled and let go of his saber with one hand to hold it out, firing a wave of telekinesis that sent X-1 flying into the wall with a grunt. X-1 landed on his feet and straightened before he cracked his neck. Xavier glared and sighed relaxing as he shook his head, clipping his lightsaber to his belt.

No.

He wasn't going to do this.

Fighting ghosts wasn't going to help him, it was the same of running away. Except instead out right ignoring the problem he was simply shoving the issue into a dusty corner and throwing away the key. He knew from Merrin's account of her vision that simple combat wasn't the way to fix his problems. He had to come to terms with his demons; all his fear and guilt and self-loathing that occupied every possible space in his head. He had been ashamed and blaming himself because he hadn't been able to save Falon and the people who were willing to fight for their peace, but none of it was his fault. If anything, he was the one who — alongside Falon — gave them a sliver of a chance against the troops that came down on them.

He needed to let all his pain go.

X-1 began to laugh, "You're done already?"

"Yeah." Xavier said calmly, letting out short breath, "I'm done with you."

X-1 paused.

"I hated what happened between us. I thought I could trust you to do the right thing, all throughout the Clone Wars we fought side by side. I thought you knew where the line had to be drawn." Xavier turned away, "But I didn't know better, I guess I didn't know you. What you did to Falon scared me. You're right about being afraid and the fear from your actions has been hanging over me like a cloud and I am done with living under it. I am tired of being scared. I abandoned my duty for far too long and am ready to step back into the fray."

X-1 snarled and charged, "Don't you dare ignore me!"

Xavier's once again slipped into the almost-forgotten persona of a soldier, brushed off the dust of his dogma, and he kept walking, "If I see you again brother, you won't see me hesitate any more."

And X-1 crumbled to empty air just before he stabbed his lightsaber through Xavier's chest.


	14. Chapter 14

**All credit respective owners and such.**

**P.S. Reviews are appreciated.**

**P.P.S. Virtual respects if you can find the reference to a star wars game!**

**-Y.A.R.N.**

* * *

Cal stared up the ramp of the ship — apparently named the Mercenary Star —that was all set for a vacation to Felucia. Part of him was uneasy due to the fact that he wasn't sure that leaving the force disruptive area of Dantooine would be a good idea. Paranoia that Darth Vader would sense them and a fleet of Star Destroyers would surround them was nerve wracking enough to cause their entire group a good bout of maybe they should ignore Shaak Ti's apparent survival. Another thing, Cal hadn't disclosed his worries about the apprentice — yes she was learning under Shaak Ti — but he had a particularly bad feeling about the zabrak. He shook his head, he would cross that bridge when he came to it; right now, meeting Shaak Ti was more important and it was necessary. He turned to Cere and Merrin and even Greeze who are all shifting uneasily at the fact he's about to leave.

The only thing that made this less worrisome was that it wasn't like the time he was captured by bounty hunters and tossed into the fight pits. He had a clear idea of what needed to be done and had the best help he could manage in that situation (being a former stormtrooper who was apparently force sensitive and a droid). The worry was that if Darth Vader or any of the inquisitors happened upon him, he might not be able to evade them and get out without a scratch. Granted, it was only him and Xavier heading over, but they could never be too careful when it came to the Empire. He just hoped that it didn't happen, he didn't need to bring the might of the empire down on Felucia.

"So I don't know how long I'll be gone." Cal said as he shouldered his pack and faced his friends, "It'll probably be a while."

Merrin bit her lip, conflict clear, "I don't like the idea of separating. We won't be able to know if something happens to you or Xavier. What if Shaak Ti thinks of you as a threat and tries to kill you?"

Cere shook, "Master Shaak Ti may be a traditionalist, but she is no fool. Attacking any jedi — no matter how unorthodox — is something she would never do. With how few jedi are left, she would never kill another if she can avoid it."

Cal nodded, "Plus, I won't be looking for a fight and will do my best to make sure she knows I am not with the Empire."

Xavier walked out of the ship, "Well, it looks like we're all set to go. All the credit chips are gathered, the fuel is topped off, and the ship is in great shape. Anything else we need to know about the planet or dangers?"

Cere pulled out a datapad and handed it to Cal, "Here's everything I managed to gather on Felucia and the native wildlife and inhabitants. Some from the general public, and a some from the Empire's knowledge; it's a good thing they don't seem to have any particular interest in Felucia because they probably don't know Shaak Ti is on that planet. The only information there was aside from whatever battles happened during the clone wars and what were the biggest hazards. Either way it was pretty useful in helping identify and deal with the creatures that might attack you."

Cal took the datapad and smiled, "Thanks Cere."

Greeze crossed his arms, "Look after yourself kid, you don't the best pilot in the galaxy watching your back."

Cal laughed, "That'll be tough to go without, but I'll manage."

Cal turned to Merrin only for the nightsister to grab him in a hug, holding just as tightly as after he woke up from Nur, her head nestled against his shoulder. BD-1 deftly moved lower on Cal's bakc to give the nightsister some space while he clung to Cal. This time, Cal was able to smile softly and hug her back just as tightly, gently resting his cheek against the top of her head. For a moment the two just drank in the sense of peace and tranquility before Cal sighed and broke the silence.

"Hey, don't worry about me." He said soothingly, patting her back, "I'll be fine and be back soon."

She stepped back, smiling softly, "I know you will be, but that doesn't I can't and won't worry about you."

Cal grinned brightly and DB-1 beeped out a goodbye before Cal nodded and made his way up the ramp for Xavier to clap him on the back and nod at the group before he turned away and the ramp hissed closed.

The Mercenary Star lifted into the air and blasted off into the sky till it wasn't visible anymore.

* * *

Cal checked the light-speed coordinates and prepped the systems, "We're pretty much set."

The system had been tweaked and modified slightly to fit Jek's preferences and habits, but the overall controls were pretty standard for a ship, which came as something of a relief. The navi-computer was standard as was the control system matched a general starfighter. Cal had seen practically every type of ship that was in the galaxy while scrapping on Bracca and Prauf had pointed out most of the systems functions on most of them and how they worked thanks to his time as an engineer. All of the scrappers on Bracca had at least a rudimentary knowledge when it came to piloting and Xavier training on Kamino was also useful in helping him pilot the ship.

"Prepare the jump to light-speed." Xavier replied as he pushed the lever forward and the stars became streaks of light before fully blasting into light-speed.

Cal took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat, the full reality that he was about to go to meet a surviving jedi master who had been on the council. He briefly recalled Cere telling him the council was wiped out, he had been horrified that the best and wisest Jedi had fallen and they weren't just in hiding. Now knowing that wasn't the case was a relief, but now he had to somehow gain her approval to change the jedi; to convince her that the traditions that the order clung to were what led to their destruction.

But there was no way to sugarcoat the situation or ease into it.

The jedi needed to change, they needed to learn and adapt to the galaxy and not remain rigid and rooted in a time where they were victorious.

Cal closed his eyes and breathed out long sigh.

Maybe he could start constructing a decent explanation after some sleep.

* * *

Deep in the forests of Felucia, Former Councilor member, surviving Jedi Master Shaak Ti sat in crossed legged meditation in front of the great pit, eyes closed and expression calm. Her apprentice, Maris Brood was currently sparring against some of the Felucian warriors as she clashed against them (as she had been for most of the day), sabertonfas sizzling. To be honest, Shaak Ti was worried about taking on Maris Brood as and apprentice; she had an alarming amount of anger and pain radiating through her presence in the force and her orange sabertonfas were a clear sign of the struggle the padawan was having in regards to her alignment. Shaak didn't have much in the way of a choice though, she needed someone to keep the lessons of the Jedi alive should assassins sent by the sith come for her and kill her. She had no intention of dying but the force had been shrouded in darkness since the fall of The Republic and no matter how hard she meditated, there was no hint to what the future held.

Shaak Ti's hands clenched into fist in anger before she let her emotions flow into the force, so many lost Jedi, a millennia of history gone almost overnight.

In truth, she had wanted to build the order once again, but she hadn't been blind that the fact she was alive would be leaked if she wasn't careful. And while she could try, she had no idea where she could build an order without lighting a beacon for the emperor to find and annihilate. Trying to hop from planet to planet in search of younglings was a foolish idea, if she made the wrong move, the people would call out for the Empire to kill her. Each day was another squandered opportunity for a chance to fight back and that irked more than anything else.

If Shaak Ti were honest, she was afraid of the galaxy outside of Felucia would be if she decided to leave. Her narrow escape from the clone troops and desperate flight from the temple to hide had been nothing less than a miracle. After that, she had done whatever she could to help the people of Felucia become stronger and protect what they had. Felucia was unique in that some of the creatures here had lightsaber resistant bones that carried trace amount of a crystalline shard that were remarkably similar to khyber crystals. The people had the limited ability to tap into the force and their shamans and warriors used that to great effect, which she refined into a skill that could be used for battle.

"Maris." She called.

Maris disengaged and panted, "Yes master?"

"Enough for today." She said as she got to her feet, "We should rest."

Maris frowned but sighed and clipped her tonfas back to her belt, untensing and allowing the exhaustion she had been feeling finally settle in full. The Force may have been able to keep her going for quite a ways yet, but no force-wielder was invincible and everyone needed rest sooner or later. Shaak Ti moved to steady her apprentice and smiled fondly at the girl's reluctance to show weakness. Maris hadn't been an easy choice for an apprentice, but she was Shaak Ti's apprentice all the same, and Shaak Ti wouldn't abandon her. She could only teach her and subtly push her towards the light and hope that when the time came, Maris would be able to let go of all the hatred and pain. The force hummed in not-quite-warning and Shaak Ti looked to the sky, eyes narrowed as she expected to see something that wasn't natural.

"Master?" Maris queried, also scanning the sky, "Is something wrong?"

"No." Shaak Ti replied after seeing nothing amiss, "Just my imagination. Come, it's time we rested."

"Yes master."

* * *

X-1 grinned a feral smile as his lightsaber painted the air with red lightning, deflecting blaster bolts from the insurgents on the space station. When he cut down the last insurgent and his squad of stormtroopers secured the hanger he noticed someone cowering in a ball. One of the dock workers was whimpering in fear as he had hidden behind a crate when the blaster bolts started flying. Everyone else had vacated the hangar when the fight started but he had been left behind. X-1 walked forward, lightsaber tip sizzling a black line in the floor as he approached the terrified man. Using the force, he dragged the man out and made him kneel in front of him.

"So..." X-1 said in a conversational tone, "You are the last of the insurgents correct?"

"No!" The man yelped, "I was just fueling ships when the fight started, I was just too far to get out."

"Do you have any proof?" X-1 inquired silkily.

The man nodded and fumbled for his credit case as he pulled out a small card, "It's my worker identification!"

X-1 lifted the card and tilted it in the light, sighing in disappointment at it authenticity, "I see. Well, if you could point me in the direction of the insurgents, I would appreciate it very much."

The man swallowed before quietly replying, "I didn't even know they were insurgents until the blasters started firing sir."

X-1 glared and the man squeezed his eyes shut, mentally preparing himself to be cut in half by the red saber before he was roughly tossed by the force into the crate he was previously hiding behind. He slumped against it and locked the groan of pain behind his teeth before stumbling away from X-1.

"Tch." X-1 clicked his tongue, "How useless. Just like X-2... Shame he could've probably been better in this situation."

He frowned as he thought of his brother, wondering if he had tried harder he may have been able to convince him to return. He sighed, why was his brother was always to rigid in accepting that there might be casualties when it came to war? Sure he may not have needed to kill those villagers, but everyone knew harboring a Jedi was a death sentence. So what if they didn't know? They were guilty of a crime which judgement was death.

He turned to briefly glance a the stars before a trooper approached him, "General?"

X-1 turned, "Yes?"

"The hangar is cleared, we should move to corner the insurgents." The stormtrooper reported.

X-1's feral glee welled up and he ignited his lightsaber, "Well let's get to it then."

* * *

Xavier saw Cal close his eyes and slump in his seat, his breathing even out and BD-1 shift to rest on Cal's chest and look at Xavier.

Xavier grinned at the little droid, "Let him sleep. We've got time before we reach Felucia, he should get the most rest he can, I am sure you can handle piloting."

BD-1 beeped an affirmative to the clone and Xavier stretched out before relaxing in his seat as well. Thank god Jek had been a fan of the finer things in life and he didn't skimp on the quality of his furniture, the chair's plush and soft make made it ludicrously easy to fall asleep in.

If he wasn't so nervous he may have well have joined Cal in sleeping.

He wasn't exactly optimistic about meeting the Jedi Master as Cal was, in fact he was downright afraid. Cal had been a padawan and was raised as a jedi since he was a child, Xavier didn't have the ability to claim the same. He already knew Cal and Cere were powerful in the force and their skill with a lightsaber was only getting more and more incredible. Even Merrin could claim to be trained in a variant of Force abilities in her night-sister magics and was only growing stronger and stronger. Everyone had been trained and ready to use their power for years to fight the Empire.

Instead, he was a clone of a jedi and that too he had no formal training in lightsaber combat until very recently. While he had been very skilled in the use of a force pike and vibrosword from his time as a clone and stormtrooper, his force training was definitely lacking in comparison to the rest of the group he had unconsciously but willingly become a part of. What would a Jedi Master of the former Council think of him when they met? She probably thought all clones were jedi killers just waiting for a command before killing any jedi (granted since he was a clone test from Falon Grey and not really sanctioned, he didn't have the inhibitor chip in his skull). He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

As Cal sometimes said.

He could only trust in the Force.

* * *

X-1 knelt as he plucked a data-chip from the dead insurgent's leader, turning it over in his palm before pulling out a holo and inserting the chip. Immediately the projector lit up and data files containing a communication between the group of insurgents and...

"The cloning centers in Kamino?!" X-1 snarled in disbelief.

The reports read of the growing anger of the Empire and that a rogue group of cloners were growing an army of clones that were to be used to fight the Empire. The forces already had squads ready for use and that they were to be brought into the service of the rebellion! Several squads had already been prepped and were ready to be a part of the Rebel Alliance!

He needed to get this information to Vader and the Emperor immediately, this needed to be stopped before those clones got sent out.


End file.
